7. Positive Health in the community

Taking health as a starting point, with people and the local community in central position, what does this mean for the roles and tasks in primary care? What is important for people to be able to live together in a healthy way in their community? With Positive Health as a common language, local residents appear to be taking more control of their community. Informal care, citizens’ initiatives and other community and prevention initiatives can be of greater significance for general practitioners than is currently recognised. Although care providers are used to look for medical solutions, many health care questions do require a broader answer. There are many possibilities for patients to take better care of their own health on the one hand, while making use of social and lifestyle services in the community, on the other. Integrated cooperation in local communities is crucial, in this respect. Knowledge of community networks that relate to the health care questions of their patients may support general practitioners. It is not without reason that the new core value of ‘together’ and core task of ‘care coordination’ have been added to the core values and core tasks of primary care. For more information, background and short videos about the subjects in this chapter, see the QR code at the end of this chapter.