The European Society for Quality Healthcare (ESQH)

The European Society for Quality Healthcare (ESQH) is a network of national societiew dedicated to the improvement of quality in healthcare at national and international levels. It was founded by a group of presidents and former presidents of national societies for quality in healthcare in Europe, under the auspices of ISQua. It is committed to the achievement of it's aims through collaborative action within the network and in association with other health and quality related organisations in Europe.

Profiles of National Societies

Prifile of ESQH Members

National Flag	Country	Society & Year Established	Organisational Structure	Products	Funded by	Links with Govt. & other Organisations
	BELGIUM	Details as yet unavailable
	DENMARK	Danish Society for Quality in Health Care, established 1991	6 elected board members, (multi-disciplinary), 400 individual, 50 institutional members	Quarterly newsletter, quality training courses, annual conference, publications including guidelines, annual prize.	Subscription c. £12, commercial investment	Danish Medical Association
	FINLAND
	GERMAN	German Society for Quality Management in Health Care, established 1993	Multi -professional. 9 board members, President (2-yr term), Deputy President, General Secretary. 270 members	Newsletters, Annual Conference, Working Committees, Publications
	GREECE	Hellenic Society for Quality in Health Care, established 1996	Multi-disciplinary structure, 25 members			Links with national and international organisations through national and European projects.
	HUNGARY	Details as yet unavailable
	IRELAND	Irish Society for Quality in Health Care, established 1995	14 member multi-professional general council, 4 specialist panels, 222 members	Quarterly newsletter, publications, annual conference, quality initiative database, website	Govt. grant of £100,000, commercial sponsorship, subscription fees c. £25	No official govt. links though recent funding awarded to develop accreditation
	ITALY	Details as yet unavailable
	LITHUANIA	National Association for Quality in Health Care	multiprofessional, 5 elected board members, chair and secretary	Conferences, workshops, newsletter, quality training programmes.		Ministry of Health, State Accreditation Body for Health Care, State Inspectorate of Medical Audit, State Health Law and Economics Centre Hospitals, Primary Health Care Centres
	NETHERLANDS	Dutch Society for Quality in Health Care	9 board members, elected from 8 professional categories, 550 members, part-time secretariat	10 workgroups, 4 master classes, regular column in bi-monthly journal, website, prizes for quality report and quality improvement research	low subscription fees	Official and informal advisory role with govt., official links with Dutch Hospital Federation and Royal Colleges
	NORWAY	Norwegian Forum for Quality in Health Care, established 1992	7 elected board members, traditionally clinician led, 300 members	Annual conference, annual day course on quality management, quarterly 4-8 page newsletter	Low subscription fees	Fully independent, no govt. links, informal support of Royal Colleges
	POLAND	Polish Society for Quality Promotion in Health Care, established 1993	Multi-professional with dominance of physicians, 100 members	National and international conferences on quality in healthcare. Links with govt. CMJ-National Center for Quality Assessment, but fully independent		Link with School of Public Health, Jageillonian University link with Specialist General for Public Health.
	SPAIN	Sociedad Esponola Calidad, established 1982	Multi-disciplinary, 400+ members	Journal - 10 issues p/a., national conference annually with 500+ participants
	SWEDEN	Swedish Society for Quality in Health Care, established 1986	8 elected board members (multi-disciplinary), 200-300 members	Seminars, training, annual conference	Subscription fee c. £ 10
	SWITZERLAND	Vereinigung fur Qualiatsicherung und Qualitatsforderug im Gesundheitswesen Switzerland, established 1994	Multi-professional "self-help" group, 300 members in 26 cantons	Two conferences annually, quarterly newsletter, initiating a national quality system	Govt. funding (£20,000) for accreditation activities, £50 -£100 subscription	Govt. links and investment, links with Hospital Association and insurers
	SWITZERLAND also	Swiss Association for Quality in Healthcare, SwissQuaH, established 1994	Multi-professional, 253 members	2 annual conferences, accreditation/ certification, Promotion QA, education programmes, newsletter - 4 issues p/a		Member of ISQua since 1998
	UNITED KINGDOM	Association for Quality in Health Care, UK, established 1986	Multi-professional, 120 members	Quarterly journal, annual conference, regional branches with local meetings, national educational meetings, training seminars, central policy related activities, golden helix award	Charity status, initial funding from Dept. of Health, commercial sponsorship, subscription c. £60	Looks to association for feedback on quality issues, links with NCCA, govt. body for clinical audit. IHSM, NHS confederation, BAMM, RSM quarterly forum
	YUGOSLAVIA	Yugoslav Society for quality in health care	120 members