In this report, we opted to take a closer look at the operations of four consultative bodies:
HOSPITAL & TRANSPORT SURGE CAPACITY COMMITTEE
The Hospital & Transport Surge Capacity Committee (HTSC Committee) is tasked, on the one hand, with monitoring the number and nature of COVID-19 patients in general hospitals and university hospitals. On the other hand, the Committee needs to address issues of capacity, the flow of patients in and out of hospitals. The Committee also oversees the organisation of (non-)urgent transport for patients. The members of the Committee formulate advice on the aforementioned subjects to the RMG. Among other things, the HTSC Committee drew up a phasing plan to ensure sufficient hospital beds and resources within hospitals for patients with COVID-19. It also drew up a distribution plan for patients and conducted analyses in the context of postponing non-essential care. The Committee is coordinated by the Directorate-General for Healthcare of the FPS-HSFCE. The Committee focuses on inter-federal cooperation to provide streamlined communication and approaches.
Find out more about the HTSC Committee: consultativebodies.health.belgium.be
PRIMARY & OUTPATIENT CARE SURGE CAPACITY COMMITTEE
The Primary & Outpatient Care Surge Capacity Committee (POCSC Committee) was set up at the request of the RMG to complement the work of the HTSC Committee. To relieve hospitals as much as possible, the optimal organisation of primary care was essential. The POCSC Committee examines the organisation and availability of care outside the hospital and transmits its advice to the RMG. The federal government, the various regional authorities and representatives of general practitioners form the basis of this Committee. Depending on the topics to be discussed, representatives from home care, hospitals, residential facilities or associations working on behalf of the most disadvantaged are involved. The Committee must ensure that primary care, hospital care and new forms of care (e.g. telemonitoring, triage centres, etc.) are coordinated and appropriate.
OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT GROUP
At the request of the RMG, the Outbreak Management Group (OMG) was set up on 23 March 2020. This working group formulated advice on how to handle the COVID measures and contamination in residential organisations such as residential care centres, institutions for people with a disability, reception centres for migrants, etc.
The first objective of this working group was to make a joint analysis of the situation in the aforementioned institutions based on the various data available within the regional authorities. The second objective was to support the regional authorities in elaborating the decisions taken at the National Security Council or subsequently the Consultative Committee. These decisions needed to be translated into the context of residential institutions, and especially residential care centres, as these were the most affected. Among other things, the OMG formulated advice on the following questions: ‘How should the limited available protection equipment be used?’, ‘How can the limited number of staff be deployed?’, ‘Why and in what way can one or more people be isolated from other people? This advice led to ‘mobile teams’ being set up, consisting of healthcare professionals, who assist the residential institutions with advice and identify the strengths and development points of an organisation. The aim is to support them in preparing for new waves of infection.
In October 2020, it was decided to wind down the OMG, as the cooperation had enabled the regional authorities to organise themselves autonomously and efficiently to respond to the pandemic in residential institutions. The positive collaboration of the OMG led to a pilot project being set up called the Hospital Outbreak Support Team (see chapter on ‘Quality’).
INTERMINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON PUBLIC HEALTH
The Interministerial Conference (IMC) on Public Health is a consultative and decision-making body involving all competent ministers for public health in our country. The IMC’s main objective is to ensure and encourage consultation and cooperation between the federal government and the federated states. Since 1 March 2020, this Conference has convened over 100 times in video meetings on the subject of the COVID-19 crisis with the aim of:
- closely monitoring the evolution of the pandemic;
- regulating the testing strategy;
- coordinating the vaccination strategy;
- streamlining communications as much as possible.
Since October 2020, the IMC has worked closely with the Governmental Corona Commission.
To find out more about the remit of the Interministerial Conference on Public Health: consultativebodies.health.belgium.be