EPUAP and EWMA have established a joint engagement in the pressure ulcer prevention and patient safety agendas at European level as well as at national level in selected European countries. The project is expected to run from 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2018.

A joint working group consisting of the following representatives of each association has been established:

- EPUAP representatives: Zena Moore (chair), Lisette Schoonhoven, Jane Nixon, Jan Kottner, Adina Markova (secretariat).

- EWMA representatives: Jose Verdu Soriano (chair), Hubert Vuagnat, Andrea Pokorná, Jan Kristensen (secretariat).

The project will engage in activities aimed at raising the awareness of policy decision-makers about pressure ulcers, patient safety and wound care through a number of activities. The project will engage in:

• Elaboration of a European epidemiology overview based on existing prevalence and incidence data. Data collected will be used to back and sustain planned campaign activities.

• Targeting of Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and other European key stakeholders and decision-makers to raise awareness and call for preventive action against the development of pressure ulcers.

As a first activity the project was invited to present and engage in debate at the OECD Health Care Quality Indicators Experts meeting in Paris on 4 November 2016.

The project is supported by unrestricted educational grants from: 3M, Hartmann, Mölnlycke Healthcare and Smith & Nephew