The European Journal of General Practice would like to facilitate the communication between the members of WONCA Europe, its international network organisations and special interest groups, national colleges and societies of general practice/family medicine, academic departments and institutes, research networks, and individuals involved in research and teaching in general practice/family medicine/primary health care. The next pages (pages 55–64) contain contributions by various organisations which are active in the wide field of primary care, general practice or family medicine, including research, education, quality improvement and health care innovation. The European Journal of General Practice also welcomes announcements and reports of (international) scientific conferences, (research) courses and other events that are relevant for GPs/family physicians, primary care researchers or teachers. Send your contributions to [email protected].
WONCA: World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians
First joint meeting of General Practice/Family Medicine organizations in Europe
The Executive Committees of UEMO, WONCA Europe and EFPC met in Basel, Switzerland on 16 September 2009 to discuss common issues in regard to general practice/family medicine in Europe. The three organizations acknowledged that their missions and objectives complement each other. All three seek to promote and improve the quality of life by providing high quality health care on the primary care level.
UEMO (European Union of General Practitioners/Family Physicians) can be considered a political organization, which defends the role of general practitioners in the health care systems. The organization has also produced policy documents on several health care related issues such as European Public Health, and Tobacco Control. The current efforts are directed at the recognition of the specialty of Family Medicine in all European countries.
WONCA Europe (World Organization of Family Doctors) is more scientifically oriented and provides a forum for exchange of knowledge and information; encourages and supports the development of academic organizations of general practitioners/ family physicians; and represents the educational, research and service provision activities of general practitioners/family physicians. One of the important documents was the European definition on family medicine in 2002, while currently the Research agenda, developed by EGPRN (European General Practice Research Network), one of WONCA’s network organizations, is ready to be launched. That Research agenda can stimulate and guide research developments in the member countries.
The EFPC (European Forum for Primary Care) established in 2005, intends to improve equity in health care and the health of the population of Europe by strengthening Primary Care. In several countries of Europe, primary care is well developed, in others less so. Family physicians operate in the framework of the local primary health care team, utilising a multidisciplinary approach. The focus of the EFPC is not only on activities of general practitioners/family physicians, but also on other health care personnel. The EFPC has also produced several policy documents on a number of (clinical) issues such as diabetes mellitus.
In their concluding statement the three organizations commit themselves to strengthen the position of general practice/family medicine (GP/FM) in the framework of primary health care and to develop a strategy for inter-organizational information exchange. Furthermore, the organizations have jointly agreed to reinforce mutual cooperation and to set up a conference on cancer prevention and management.
The organizations consider general practice/family medicine is a specialty in its own right that should be recognized as such across Europe.