A description of prevention and health centres

Prevention and health centres have been the subject of political debate for 4-5 years as a new initiative in the Danish health sector. The local government reforms in particular have brought into clearer focus the local authorities’ new obligations in the health sector, where prevention and health centres or similar initiatives have been proposed as a useful framework for local authority health initiatives.
This report is a pilot study that sheds light on the various aspects of the prevention and health centres already established in Denmark. It is based on interviews with employees, users and administrative decision makers in, and those involved with, prevention and health centres. The report focuses on
•foreign experience of initiatives resembling prevention and health centres
•the organisational structure and interdisciplinary nature of the centres
•user involvement
•health-economic considerations