Project status update
This has been a different year, for all of us. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused delays to the VOPD project implementation, resulting in a need to extend the VOPD collaboration. In this short update, we inform you about the next steps in the project and upcoming activities in the autumn.
Extension of the VOPD collaboration
At the VOPD Steering Committee it was agreed to extend the VOPD collaboration due to Covid 19, and the delays this has caused the VOPD project implementation. This means that the final conference of VOPD planned to be conducted in connection to the Danish presidency programme of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2020 will be postponed and moved to be conducted in Finland and form part of the Finnish presidency programme of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2021.
The VOPD final conference date will be published as soon as possible, and the final date of VODP collaboration is set to 30th of June 2021.
Covid-19 – a trigger for distance spanning solutions
As the VOPD Steering Committee recognized, Healthcare and care through distance spanning solutions 2018-2021 are actively contributing to Covid 19 response from a service model provision point of view. Service models, supported by technology, which allows distance spanning self monitoring and home care opportunities both for healthcare and social care plays an important role to protect our most vulnerable citizens especially when physical interaction shall be avoided. Covid 19 has definitely been a trigger for distance spanning solutions for healthcare and social care. We expect to give you an update on this story during autumn 2020 when we in collaboration with Interreg NPA Covid 19 response group will further look into this matter.
Activities autumn 2020
Autumn will be packed with new information coming out of VOPD, Nordregio will launch their regional development analysis in addition to their accessibility analysis of healthcare and care in remote and rural areas in the Nordics. Nordregio will later during the autumn publish a chapter 10 to the State of the Nordic Region, this special issue will focus on the Well-being in the Nordic region.
In addition, Nordic Welfare and Center for Rural Medicine are planning for 4 webinars during autumn. Also, both organizations will collaborate to provide another 3 webinars during autumn targeting a Nordic + audience (including Scottish, Northern Irish and Irish stakeholders).
Although this has been a different year, for all of us, we happy that VOPD 2018-2021 has been available to inform and help actors to respond to the challenges concerned to public health and social services.
On behalf the entire VOPD project partnership, we wish you a happy summer!
Niclas Forsling
In addition, Nordic Welfare and Center for Rural Medicine are planning for 4 webinars during autumn. Also, both organizations will collaborate to provide another 3 webinars during autumn targeting a Nordic + audience (including Scottish, Northern Irish and Irish stakeholders).
Although this has been a different year, for all of us, we happy that VOPD 2018-2021 has been available to inform and help actors to respond to the challenges concerned to public health and social services.
On behalf the entire VOPD project partnership, we wish you a happy summer!
Niclas Forsling
VOPD project manager
Centre for Rural Medicine
The Managing Body of VOPD
Bengt Andersson
Bengt Andersson
Senior Adviser
Nordic Welfare Centre
Project partner in VOPD