‘Homeless Doctor’ for Homeless and Unhoused People in Arnhem

Arnhem is starting a pilot to improve general practitioner care for homeless and unhoused residents. Twice a week, fixed GPs hold consultations at the Homeless Advice Office and Stichting Kruispunt. This lowers the threshold to care and helps people get medical assistance faster. Many homeless residents lack insurance or a regular GP. The pilot starts in early April and lasts 6 to 12 weeks.

Right to Good Care

‘Every resident of Arnhem has the right to good care,’ explains Alderman for Public Health Maurits van de Geijn. ‘Even if someone has no fixed residence. With this pilot, we want to see if having GPs present at this location helps people get faster and better support. We want to learn what works so that we continue to provide care that is nearby, reliable, and accessible to everyone.’

Team of Five GPs

Until now, the Homeless Advice Office already had a nursing consultation from the GGD, where people were referred to a GP if necessary. In the new pilot, GPs themselves are also present at these consultations. They can immediately treat medical problems without referral. The pilot is carried out by a team of five GPs. They have experience as street doctors, practice owners, and with the local target group.

Preventing Unnecessary Suffering

‘People living on the street are extra vulnerable. They often ask for help late and suffer for a long time from, for example, respiratory infections or foot inflammations,’ says Bas Moen, one of the five GPs on the team. ‘That is why it is important that GPs are present at places where homeless people come, such as the Homeless Advice Office and the day shelter of the Kruispunt. With a fixed and low-threshold consultation, we can detect problems faster, treat earlier, and prevent escalations. That prevents unnecessary suffering.’

Evaluation

During the pilot, we investigate how we can better support GGD nurses in their daily work and what care questions arise among homeless and unhoused residents. We also look at how other care providers can be involved and how many consultations are needed to provide good and accessible care. In addition, we map how GP practices in and around the center of Arnhem can be relieved in caring for these residents. Van de Geijn: ‘After the pilot, we will evaluate the results and determine if and how we can continue this form of service.’