General practitioners (GPs) are unevenly distributed across the Brussels-Capital Region, making it difficult for residents in certain areas of the capital to get access to care, according to the latest mapping of GPs carried out on Monday.
The Observatory for Health and Welfare, Vivalis, mapped GPs and shows that there are 1,656 active GPs in the Brussels-Capital Region – higher than the federal norm of 90 GPs per 100,000 inhabitants (which would amount to 1,125 active GPs in Brussels).
Although the overall situation is favourable compared to this norm, the study shows that GP care is unevenly distributed at the local level, with accessibility not being as good in certain parts of the region. "The further away from the centre, the more difficult it becomes to find a GP nearby," said Vivalis.
Best and worst access
The best access to GPs is closer to the centre: the City of Brussels has a high density of GPs, as do municipalities just outside the city centre: the east of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Koekelberg, Saint-Gilles and the west of Schaerbeek are particularly well-served.
"Most GP care is available in areas that are also the most densely populated. Some densely populated areas, however, do not have a high density of GP care, for example Cureghem (Anderlecht) and Matonge (Ixelles)," Vivalis said.
A third of Brussels residents (32%) live in a zone with limited accessibility to a GP. These areas include the peripheral parts of Watermael-Boitsfort, Uccle, Forest, Anderlecht, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Neder-over-Heembeek, Haren and Evere, as well as the entire municipality of Ganshoren and several parts of Ixelles.
Credit: FAMGB-FBAHV, BHAK, Observatory for Health and Welfare
The study also shows that some of the 1,656 GPs experience an excessive workload and have already reached retirement age, which has an impact on the accessibility of care. Over half (57%) wish to work less, 15% no longer accept new patients and 17% are over 65 years old.
Many non-Brussels residents also come for consultations with a Brussels GP: on average, 18% of consultations are for people domiciled in Flanders or Wallonia.
This study by the Observatory for Health and Welfare (Vivalis) will serve as the basis for drawing up a strategy to guarantee fair access to primary care for all Brussels residents. This includes implementing measures to support young GPs and creating resources for coordinating help and care in primary care for the most vulnerable population groups.
