Background Having a job is a health-promoting factor, but when a job is performed in unsafe or unhealthy conditions, it can lead to adverse symptoms or disorders. Often, patients go to their general practitioner (GP) first. Giving attention to work and health is a task for both the GP and the occupational physician (OP).

In 2014 the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) and the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine (NVAB) signed a declaration about work and health which stated that general practitioners and occupational physicians, in the interest of patients – in good cooperation – will contribute to help people enter, stay in or return to appropriate work. The project also links with the common pledge, also in 2014, of The World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) and the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) to better integrate occupational health in the primary care setting, to the benefit of all workers and their families.

Aim To incorporate ‘work and health’ in general practice guidelines, the NHG and NVAB developed a guidance document. Next step is to promote that general practitioners give more attention to occupation and work.

Method We developed a workshop to recognise work-related health problems. Four main issues are discussed:

• Ask for a patient’s occupation

• Identify and diagnose work–related health problems

• Consider the consequences of chronic diseases of adolescents for their career choice

• Collaborate with occupational physicians in case of work–related health problems

Results This workshop has been conducted twice in the Netherlands and once at WONCA Europe (June 2017) and it was evaluated positively.

Message Attention for work and health is important for a GP. Recognition and diagnosis of work-related health problems is a GP task to be supported by education and training.