EQUICARES participated in the 31st European Health Management Conference (EHMC 2026), represented by Q-PLAN International during the oral session on “System Governance and Access to Care”.

On behalf of the project, Andromachi Boikou presented the abstract titled “Systemic barriers and macro-level megatrends in mental healthcare access across the EU”. This study was based on findings from T1.3 ““Barriers to accessible mental health and care services: macro-level mega-trends” and explored the structural factors influencing access to mental healthcare for vulnerable populations across Europe.

Findings highlighted that vulnerable groups across Europe continue to experience fragmented care pathways, digital inequalities, socioeconomic barriers, discrimination, and administrative complexity when seeking mental healthcare support.

EHMC 2026 took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 10 to 12 June 2026 and was organised by the European Health Management Association (EHMA), in collaboration with La Unió – Catalan Hospital, Health and Social Services Association. Under the theme “Future-proofing health systems for a changing world: from strategy to action”, the conference brought together healthcare managers, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from across Europe to address the key challenges and transformations shaping the future of healthcare systems.

Within the wider conference discussions on resilience, interoperability, data-driven governance, and the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, the EQUICARES presentation underlined the importance of ensuring that healthcare innovation advances inclusivity, equity, and person-centred care, particularly for populations most at risk of exclusion.