Primary care in Singapore: an occupational therapy perspective

摘要

The recent editorial by Matchar and colleagues1 outlined the potential role of primary care for addressing the complex needs of individuals with chronic diseases. In Singapore, the recently established primary care networks and community health centres are ideal facilities for developing health promotion and chronic disease prevention programmes. The World Health Organization (WHO) global goals for managing and reducing the risk of developing non-communicable or chronic diseases is achieved through facilitating positive lifestyle choices and promoting health and wellness for all age groups.2 However, healthcare interventions and programmes that facilitate health behaviour change and address psychosocial issues associated with chronic diseases require a multidisciplinary approach. The WHO therefore recommends a multifaceted approach to tackling chronic diseases in primary care, which involves a range of healthcare professionals including, but not limited to, dieticians, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and psychologists.