Main Areas of Activity

The Ministry of Health deals with matters relating to healthcare and health insurance. These include:

• healthcare activities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels;
• monitoring of the nation's state of health and the preparation and implementation of health improvement programmes;
• economic relations in healthcare and tasks relating to the founding of public healthcare institutions in line with the law;
• health measures to be taken in the event of natural and other disasters;
• protection of the population against addiction-related health problems;
• protection of the population against infectious diseases and HIV infection;
• food safety and the nutritional quality and hygiene of food and drinking water with a view to preventing chemical, biological and radiological pollution and conducting a general policy on nutrition;
• the production of, trade in and supply of medicines and medical products;
• the production of and trade in poisonous substances and drugs;
• the safety of products intended for general use;
• health and ecological issues relating to the environment, where a direct impact on human beings is involved;
• problems related to drinking water, bathing waters, air, soil and vibrations;
• waste management from the health protection aspect;
• protection against ionising and non-ionising radiation in residential and work environments;
• conditions relating to the removal and transplantation of human organs;
• the formulation and implementation of international agreements on social security.

Programme Priorities

Health improvement and preventive activities:

The planning of ministry activities in the area of prevention and health improvement proceeds on the basis of an understanding of health as something of value both to individuals and to society as a whole, and as a precondition for the successful economic and social development of the country.

The formulation of national policies and strategies for enabling and promoting healthy lifestyles:

• anti-smoking policy: The Act Amending the Restriction of the Use of Tobacco Products Act (.pdf)
  (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia no. 60/2007) entered into force on 5^th of August 2007.
  Answers to most frequent questions (.pdf).
• Slovenian Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2005 - 2010 (.pdf)
• National Health Enhancing Physical Activity Programme 2007 - 2012 (.pdf)
• alcohol policy;
• strategy for improving mental health;
• strategy for reducing all forms of addiction or dependency.

Prevention and health promotion within the health service:

• primary level – the systematic prevention of coronary and other chronic diseases (cancer, diabetes, etc.) in adults
• the setting-up of a national information system for the recording of risk factors and coronary diseases
• changes in health promotion activities for children and young people• prevention and health promotion at the secondary and tertiary levels

Health promotion where people live and work:

• healthy nursery schools;
• healthy schools;
• health at the workplace;
• health promotion in local communities (multi-disciplinary and interdepartmental cooperation, including political authorities at the local level, with the aim of creating a health-friendly environment).

Healthcare:

• the setting-up of a network of healthcare services;
• the project for a unified hospital system in Slovenia;
• the standardisation of diagnostic procedures and procedures for treating diseases;
• the assessment and forecasting of the range and nature of future illness;
• the determination of the public health interest and proposals for healthcare priorities;
• the categorisation of hospitals;
• professional standards for staff working in public healthcare institutions;
• professional medical standards for the deployment of material resources (premises and equipment) and the drafting of proposals for investment in material capacities;
• the emergency healthcare network.

Organisation of the healthcare system:

• allocation of tasks (organisation) between the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors;
• allocation of tasks between the public and private healthcare sectors on the basis of concessions;
• organisational standards for staff working in public healthcare institutions;
• economic and organisational models determining the deployment of material resources (premises, equipment) in healthcare.

Financing of healthcare:

• development of a system of healthcare financing that focuses on healthcare insurance holders;
• allocation of resources between levels;
• fairer financing within levels;
• management of other healthcare revenues;
• financing of healthcare projects;
• budget guidelines;
• investments in public healthcare institutions.

Development of a model for monitoring and assessing quality in the healthcare system:

• introduction of an award for professional excellence in healthcare;
• indicators of efficiency and success of the healthcare system, healthcare institutions and management;
• collaboration in joint projects carried out with other ministries;
• fostering and development of relations with trade union organisations in the healthcare system and healthcare chambers;
• provision of uniform complaints procedures within the healthcare system, including the institute of a human rights ombudsman for the healthcare system.