Dutch Street Doctors Group
Ordinary care in unusual circumstances
When homeless people fall ill, they often lack medical care. The Dutch Street Doctors Group is working to change this. Just until good and accessible medical care is available for homeless people in every municipality.
Tom is one of the street doctors. Every week he holds regular consultations. He does not do this in a general practice, but in the homeless shelter. People who didn’t go to a doctor before, or who went too late, now come to him. This allows him to treat conditions in a timely manner before complications arise. Actually, every municipality should have this care well regulated. But that is not the case. One-third of the municipalities responsible for shelter lack a policy for it.
Difficult circumstances
Street care is complex care. It often involves a combination of physical conditions, addiction and psychiatric problems. People who are homeless live in extremely difficult circumstances. For many reasons, they have limited access to mainstream care. For example, they are uninsured, don’t know what services are available or stay away out of shame.
Exchange
Hundreds of street doctors provide care on the streets and have an eye for the social well-being of homeless people. By setting up a national network for street care, the caregivers will get more done. For example, they can exchange information on how to provide good help sooner. And about how its financing can be better arranged so that there are no obstacles. Because people who live under unusual circumstances also need ordinary care.