Keywords: general practitioners, primary care, EU-funded project, vaccination, public health, implementation, stakeholder engagement, health systems, pilot study, EUVABECO

Background:

General practitioners (GPs) are essential to public health implementation at the local level, yet they are underrepresented in EU research projects. The EUVABECO project addresses this gap by integrating GPs into strategies aimed at strengthening vaccination practices across Member States through innovation, data linkage, and tailored national implementation plans.

Aim of the study:

To explore how general practitioners can be effectively engaged in EU-funded public health projects, using the Polish pilot of EUVABECO as a case study.

Methodology:

The Polish pilot involved GPs from urban and rural primary healthcare centres in co-designing and implementing a survey on vaccination attitudes. Over 1,200 patients were enrolled. Anonymised medical records were linked to survey data. The team secured ethical approval and coordinated communication, data collection, and contextual analysis involving family doctors and data analysts.

Results:

GP involvement enabled the identification of local vaccine barriers and supported the development of a national vaccination report. High survey engagement was achieved through direct collaboration with clinicians. The process facilitated real-world insights into vaccine hesitancy and system challenges, demonstrating that GP participation enhances data quality, relevance, and the practical applicability of EU health initiatives.

Conclusions:

Integrating general practitioners into EU research is feasible and impactful. The EUVABECO experience offers a replicable model for future initiatives aiming to bridge policy and practice. Active involvement of primary care in EU projects strengthens implementation, supports national strategies, and promotes sustainable innovation in public health systems.