Primary care in Europe: entering the age of austerity.

Many European countries have well-developed health systems that offer universal access to health services and which have a strong primary care sector. However, as the financial crisis in Europe progresses, it is leading to significant cutbacks in publicly funded health services. A key objective for primary care physicians will therefore be to work in an environment where resources will be much more limited than in the past. In the longer term, the role of primary care physicians in European health systems will continue to expand to meet the aim of shifting health services to the generally more cost-effective setting of primary care.