With an ageing population, rising costs of healthcare and higher instances of chronic diseases, Europe faces multiple emerging trends that are likely to have an increasing impact on health systems over the next 25 years. The effects of wider phenomena like climate change are also likely to continue to grow. Whilst the challenges presented by these trends are considerable, if policy-makers prepare well by making the right choices today, this can have positive implications for health and wellbeing in the coming years.

In order to consider the options and explore how best to prepare for these emerging trends and challenges, the European Policy Centre (EPC) held a Coalition for Health, Ethics and Society (CHES) Policy Dialogue on 28 September. To encourage discussion across a wide spectrum of stakeholders, the Dialogue followed a format in which there was an opening high-level panel discussion, after which attendees took part in working groups chaired by panel members considering how best to prepare for the future. The workshops considered the importance and the needed measures for: 

• A societal approach to promoting health
• Access to healthcare and tackling health inequalities
• Health technology and innovative solutions
• Sustainable healthcare systems with integration of services

The panel then presented the findings and recommendations of each working group in the final panel discussion.