The Universitat Jaume I (UJI) joins the Support4Resilience project, funded by the Horizon Europe program of the European Union. The UJI research groups participating in this project belong to the UJI research alliance, ECO4BETTER, with Dr. Juana María Delgado as main researcher. The Universitat Jaume I-Empresa Foundation participates as an entity associated with the UJI and as coordinator of the dissemination and communication activities of the project.

The Support4Resilience project aims to empower healthcare leaders to effectively recruit and retain staff in aged care. This project, lasting four years and with a budget of six million euros, will alleviate the critical shortage of health personnel that is currently being experienced in much of Europe. By 2050, the number of people over 70 in Europe is expected to double, making the need for a robust health service more urgent than ever.

There is an imbalance between capacity and demand in aged care. This translates into high workloads, increased levels of stress and burnout, which not only affects healthcare workers, but also those close to those receiving care. These factors undermine the quality of health services provided to the population, manifesting the urgent need for strategies to retain qualified personnel.

Considering the key role that leadership plays in creating a positive and enabling work environment, the Support4Resilience project is set to develop a toolbox of research-based measures. These resources are designed to assist these professionals in improving working conditions and offering training and development opportunities. Initiatives such as these are crucial to attract and retain qualified health personnel, and ultimately guarantee users and their families the provision of high-quality health services.

The project underlines the commitment that European governments have to supporting health leaders. By providing them with the necessary tools and regulatory frameworks, the initiative aims to foster environments where quality care and positive workplace cultures thrive. This approach not only benefits healthcare professionals and their patients, but also addresses the broader societal challenge of ensuring sustainable and effective healthcare services for the growing elderly population.

The S4R consortium is made up of 14 partners from 9 countries: the University of Stavanger (Norway), with Professor Sri Wiig as the principal investigator, is leading the project. Partners include the European Forum for Primary Care (Netherlands), Ștefan Cel Mare University of Suceava (Romania); Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands); the International Society for Quality in Healthcare CLG (Ireland); the University of Eastern Finland (Finland); the Jaume I University of Castelló (Spain); the Universitat Jaume I-Empresa Foundation (FUE-UJI); Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland); the Casa Cardinale Maffi Foundation (Italy); the University of Cyprus (Cyprus); the Scuola Superiore Di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna (Italy); the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway), and a partner institution: the Australian Institute for Health Innovation at Macquarie University (Australia).

With the Support4Resilience project, UJI, the University of Stavanger and their European partners will make a profound impact on the way health services are delivered, and set a new standard for leadership, retention and quality of care. older people in Europe.

*Proyecto financiado por la Unión Europea. Las opiniones y puntos de vista expresados solo comprometen a sus autores y no reflejan necesariamente los de la Unión Europea o los de la Agencia Ejecutiva Europea en los ámbitos de la salud y digital. Ni la Unión Europea ni la autoridad otorgante pueden ser considerados responsables de ellos.

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