Each year, World Health Day draws attention to a specific health topic to people all over the world. On the 75thanniversary of the WHO, we’re joining them in celebrating the importance of ‘Health for All’ and appreciating how pivotal primary care is in achieving this aim.
The WHO has long recognised the importance of primary care and the vital role that it plays, identifying it as the most “inclusive, equitable, cost-effective and efficient approach to enhance people’s physical and mental health, as well as social well-being.”
Our primary care system in the UK is something to be very proud of and is well-regarded globally. We also know that our mission to transform how people manage their health in their communities can’t be achieved without strong primary care, and specifically General Practice, at the centre of that community
However, just as the WHO identifies how primary care can develop globally, we too understand how we must evolve and continue to change for the better.
One of ABC’s values is that we innovate and ‘if we can do something better, we should’. So we’re always looking at how we can work differently and support our practices to approach things differently too.
We’re proud of the innovative work we do together – from our management of frailty care, to our extensive equity programme and refugee and asylum seekers support. We recognise the importance of partnership-working and focusing on people at risk of being left behind.
We hope that World Health Day gives all our primary care colleagues the chance to reflect on the vital role we all play in people’s lives and appreciate how far we have come in helping to empower our patients and address their needs.