• The Project and its partners •

The project idea was initially developed by the Health Authority of Reggio Emilia in the North of Italy, which then invited the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for the Sociology of Health and Medicine (LBISHM) at the University of Vienna, an experienced scientific co-ordinator for European projects. LBISHM developed the project proposal that was accepted by the European Commission, DG Health and Consumer Protection (Sanco), Public Health Program. The 2½-year project formally began in October 2002. National and regional networks of the WHO Network of Health Promoting Hospitals (HPH) played an important role in bringing together the 12 partner hospitals from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. A hospital from Portugal, originally partner of the project, had to opt out, after changes in ownership and management. The participating hospitals represent a wide range of types, from large metropolitan university teaching hospitals to small-town community hospitals, with public and with private, non-profit ownership. Some of the partners already had a long-standing record in serving ethno-culturally diverse communities before they participated in the project, some of these communities being rather well-established and homogeneous, others being very diverse and comprised of a large number of undocumented migrants.

The project partners collaborated with a group of high-profile experts and a wide range of international and European organisations acting as Supporting Partners of the project. The project partners agreed to strive to put migrant-friendly, culturally competent health care and health promotion higher up on the European health policy agenda and to support other hospitals in their quality development towards migrant friendliness by compiling practical knowledge and instruments.

• The European Commission, DG Health and Consumer Protection •
The European Commission, DG Health and Consumer Protection provided financial support for co-ordination, expert support and European collaboration.
• europa.eu.int/comm/health/index_en.html • (health promotion)

• Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) •
The Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) provided national co-funding for the European project.
• www.bmbwk.gv.at/start.asp •

• 12 hospitals, in the member states of the European Union •
were pilot organisations which developed and evaluated adequate services for improving and promoting the health of migrants and ethnic minorities as a basis for European Recommendations

AT

DE

DK

EL

ES

FI

FR

IR

IT

NL

SV

UK

• Overview of all       pilot hospitals •

• The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for the Sociology of Health and Medicine (LBISHM),
Institute for Sociology, University of Vienna,
WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion in Hospitals and Health Care •
The project team at LBISHM co-ordinated activities of the partners in the European project and provided expert support to pilot hospitals
• www.univie.ac.at/lbimgs •

• Supporting Partners •

• Scientific Committee •

• Expert Consultants •