Can Primary Care contribute to the fight against terrorism?
That may be a far cry, asserts Sam Everington, but certainly, Primary Care has the potential to bring people and communities together. Primary Care services can be organized and offered in such a manner that everybody in a community uses them and encounters other members of the community. It is a matter of bringing together different services and organizing activities. Since the GP is a much-trusted person in a community, (s)he is a good starting point to do this.
Dr Sam Everington, GP, received the Wonca Europe 5 star award during Wonca´s annual conference in Florence, in august 2006. Sam works in the Bromley-by-Bow Health Living Centre in East London, UK. Since 20 years, he practices in the health centre, which developed into a community centre over the years. The health services act as an energizer for many different local actors.
There was no master plan or grand design, this all develop over the years, gradually. What we did was create the right environment and then it developed spontaneously, organically. This award actually is for our whole team, which has an entrepreneurial spirit. However, my message is: you can do this everywhere: combining playgrounds, shops, local business, schools, health services, community services like computer courses. We should not exclude anybody. Recently, a local modern artist training in the centre as a carer, was pairedwith a person with learning disabilities. As a results, you see an artist producing unique art and the person with learning difficulties communicating in new ways.Over the years we had to build new premises and adjust older ones, that is what it takes. We have one important asset, the support of local government.
We have people from many different nationalities here, including all major religions. They meet each other and do things together, also for leisure. This leads to knowing each other and taking away prejudices and biases.
Actually, you can achieve a lot more as a doctor when you embed yourself in such a community approach, rather than when you limit yourself to the medical side of health. We do have a job adviser in the practice. This is a very powerful and cost effective way of addressing the health problems of many in this deprived area of East London
Does it only need energy and creativity? What are the obstacles to realize such
comprehensive services and community life?
Obviously, there are financial obstacles to bringing many services together; we are struggling with that as well. That is something for government to look at. We had 20 government ministers visiting our centre over the last two years. They struggle to find ways of creating policy that mainstream development of centres like Bromley By Bow. They need to design the funding system in such a manner that it provides incentives for a broad approach rather than hurdles or penalties. This community approach is happening more and more, but government needs to help us to make it happen, otherwise it takes too long, it is too slow. The recent white paper of the UK government on primary care goes this way, that is good. GP´s and a hairdresser, why not in the same building. GP´s and an old people’s home, GP´s and a food cooperative, it all is part of the same idea: bringing people together. It certainly is good for our health.Maybe we also need to help government to make this happen, by showing clearly the benefits.
This is where the European Forum for Primary Care may come in. We would like to
collect similar experiences as the one of Sam Everington, from all European
countries. We will put them on this website.
Therefore, please let us know in not more than 600 words (and some pictures) about your personal experiences as professional in primary care (not only GP´s, other professionals are welcome as well to send their in experiences), developing a community approach.