The dimension of care by the ‘Street Clinic’ team: challenges of the clinic in defense of life

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the production of Primary Health Care to people living in the streets, provided by Street Office (eCR) teams in the context of a Brazilian metropolis, identifying potentialities and difficulties. This is a qualitative case study considering the universe of the seven teams in the
2016-2017 period, with direct observation of the work and conducting semi-structured interviews with professionals from various categories (n=34), with thematic content analysis. We observed that the eCR operated with an enlarged and comprehensive scope of actions, clinical and intersectoral care, in street spaces and services, through integrated teamwork. They were organized with flexibility, low demand, active search in the territories, in an itinerant way, timely, and immediately, with the construction of shared therapeutic plans, which promoted autonomy, based on harm reduction. Difficulties were inherent to the vulnerabilities and complexities of the cases, the fragmentation of the health care network, the quality of the instruments for health registration and the lack of structural resources (transportation and inputs for health promotion actions). We concluded that care was sustained in the ethical-political, user-centered dimension, in solidarity and in the defense of life.