TY - JOUR T1 - Primary health care: what role for occupational health? JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 623 LP - 624 DO - 10.3399/bjgp12X659141 VL - 62 IS - 605 AU - Peter Buijs AU - Bill Gunnyeon AU - Chris van Weel Y1 - 2012/12/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/62/605/623.abstract N2 - Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the outcomes of a Conference Connecting Health and Labour: what role for occupational health in primary health care? (The Hague Conference).1 This editorial considers the context for this conference and whether the outcome has the potential to change our global approach to the health of workers.Of the global population, 70% have access to some form of primary health care. While this is in itself a concern, it is a much more encouraging picture than access to occupational health care, where globally only 10–15% of workers have such access, and often this does not include those most in need.2 In order to improve occupational healthcare access it seems reasonable to consider whether primary health care may provide the setting for developing basic occupational healthcare provision. This was the focus of the The Hague Conference, co-organised by TNO Work and Health and the Dutch Ministries of Health and Labour. The meeting in The Hague was an international first of its kind, bringing together experts from governments, health care, finance, and employers, and labour organisations, including the presidents of the two global academic bodies of primary health care and occupational health care, World Organization of National Colleges, Academies, and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (WONCA) and the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH).Social factors such as work, employment, and economic status are important health determinants,3 and ‘having a job’ reflects an individual’s ability to function as a part of their overall health status.4 In turn, the ability to continue to function and be productive influences the economic wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and populations. Work provides income, social contacts, … ER -