improvement in the average level of qualifications

Calls on the Commission to encourage the Member States to establish systems for professionalisation, training, continuous skills development and recognition of women domestic and care workers’ qualifications, including literacy (if applicable), in order to enhance their personal, professional and career development prospects.

The effective use of the Structural Funds to improve skills and competencies of the health workforce and develop health infrastructure can effectively contribute to the improvement of working conditions and increase quality of health services, thus reducing the health gaps and strengthening cohesion within and between Member States.

A first set of new standards for accessibility should be in place by 2013; · support relevant stakeholders at appropriate levels in developing specific incentives schemes to enable deployment of solutions; · support the development of standardised terminologies, data, clinical information and medical models as well as support public authorities in undertaking pre-commercial procurement and the procurement of innovative solutions, through the EU’s research and innovation programmes; · support work with public and private sector stakeholders to improve forecasting of health workforce needs and to adapt skills and co ...[+++]mpetences to new care patterns and new technologies; · make use of the instruments foreseen under Article 14 of the Directive on patients' rights in the cross border care to support implementation of relevant actions identified in the Plan.

5. Stresses that, although the proportion of Roma young people in secondary and higher education has increased in certain Member States, their level of qualifications still remains far below the EU average; points to the gap between labour shortages on the one hand and a high unemployment rate linked with low skill levels among Roma on the other; demands, therefore, that the Member States and the EU support the Roma to increase their qualifications as a priority; draws attention to the fact that, in the absence of formal qualifications, the position of Roma on the labour market can also be improved by devising a system for acknowledgi ...[+++]ng practical skills;