80% of children feel they need more information on the treatment they will receive and 67% think their doctor should listen to them more, a survey by the Council of Europe has revealed. The report, commissioned by the Council of Europe and prepared by Dr Ursula Kilkelly, Faculty of Law, University College, Cork asked almost 2,300 children from 22 European countries, including Portugal, about their views and experiences of health services.
The findings of the report will be discussed at an upcoming Council of Europe Health Ministers Conference in Lisbon on 29-30 September, along with guidelines on child-friendly health care, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 21 September 2011.
Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, who will open the conference together with Portuguese Minister of Health, Paulo Moita de Macedo, said the guidelines will aid governments, health professionals and children and their families. “It is not right to sacrifice the most vulnerable groups in society like children, they are entitled to adequate healthcare,” she said.
The report of the survey, the guidelines and the programme of the event are available on www.coelisbon2011.org
Picture: Dr Ursula Kilkelly
