CPE was delighted to participate in the second day of the EUPATI Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2024, where we engaged in a pivotal workshop focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Patient Engagement.
This insightful session, led by Tamas Bereczky (Deutsche Aidshilfe) and Dominique Hamerlijnck (EUPATI Fellow), offered valuable perspectives on how DEI can be seamlessly integrated into patient engagement initiatives.
The workshop centered on understanding DEI through the lens of diverse patient populations and highlighted that, while there is an understandable desire to simplify these concepts for broader accessibility, participants acknowledged the need to preserve the complexity inherent in DEI. Striking the right balance between simplicity and depth was a key point of discussion.
Rather than creating a standalone DEI module, participants emphasised the importance of revisiting existing resources and educational materials with a DEI perspective. This approach ensures that DEI becomes a core element in all patient engagement activities, rather than being treated as a separate or secondary issue.
It was also highlighted that DEI must be actively embraced and safeguarded, with recognition of the diverse backgrounds not only of patient communities but of all stakeholders. EUPATI’s multi-stakeholder approach was praised as an invaluable tool for fostering collaboration across these varied perspectives, facilitating a more inclusive response to the complex needs of different patient populations.
The day culminated in a closing ceremony where Jytte Lyngvig, Chair of the EUPATI Board of Trustees, and Anders Olauson, EUPATI Board Chair, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the board, the team, and all participants.
We are grateful for the opportunity to exchange ideas with EUPATI fellows and partners during this event and look forward to further deepening this important collaboration.
