Services for the homeless

HealthTeam is a part of the outreach work in the Municipality of Copenhagen, which is joint social- and health initiatives directed at citizens that want and need help for complex problems but are not able to seek it out.

City of Copenhagen HealthTeam was founded may 2005 and comprises four nurses and one physician.

GP without walls

The work of HealthTeam is similar to the work done in an ordinary general practice with some exceptions, thus the team is organized in the framework of primary health service. This means that HealthTeam has the same possibilities as any General practice concerning treatment and referral to the secondary health-system. HealthTeam bridges the gap between lack of accessible health-service and the individual. HealthTeam does not work from a stationary clinic which means that work is done where the patients are living. Transportation is by bicycle - the fastest in modern city traffic.

What we do

We give general advice in general health-matters and

  • We take blood-samples
  • We refer to further medical examination. 
  • We follow up on hospitalization and help with medication if needed.
  • We treat conditions that do not acquire hospitalization. 
  • We prepare the citizen for planned hospitalization.
  • We work as liaison between the health-system and citizens who are difficult to keep contact with.

All contact, planning and treatment is carried out in close co-operation with the citizen. No treatment or contact is made without clear and written consent. Health-Team attempts to attain contact with the citizen as fast as possible, but giving priority to the most urgent needs. The citizen will always be offered contact within 7 days.

Target group

Homeless citizens with health-problems where contact with, what would normally be the appropriate health-system has failed. It can be citizens who does not have contact with a general practitioner or a citizen who has discomfort in the normal frames of a hospital.

How to be referred to us

Citizens in need of service from Health-Team can be referred by almost anybody, for instance police, hospitals, drop-in centres, out-reach workers etc.

A homeless person in need of help can call the team-nurses for advice.

Referral is simple – just contact the team by telephone. Health-Team can always be contacted concerning advice in health problems.