ABSTRACT
Jan De Maeseneer, walking the walk as well as talking the talk, describes a professional lifetime of community engagement and social advocacy in Ghent, Belgium. ‘Care’ happens in a symbiotic web between the general practice (GP) team, the local community and third sector, other National Health Services and statutory services, informal and formal carers and, most importantly, individuals themselves. A community needs study in the 1990s showed that health had become a major concern, especially general practitioner services. general practitioners were very popular with patients but there were not enough of them. Numerous initiatives are underway to find ways to provide the whole person, whole life primary health care, combining behavioral and physical health care that is coordinated and connected to family and community resources. Other professionals such as health promoters, social workers, tabacologists, nutritionists and community health workers are paid via different financing streams.
