Model of Care in the Family Health Strategy: care before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Primary Health Care (PHC) is an important gateway to the Unified Health System for providing comprehensive individual and collective care. Changes in policies and funding and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to alterations in PHC work. This research aimed to analyze the organization of care in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and its challenges from the perspective of health professionals working in PHC. Data was collected through focus groups with four FHS teams and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The work organization in the FHS has been undergoing changes since 2016, with an increase in bureaucratic processes and challenges arising from the reduction in workers. During the pandemic, professionals were displaced, continuity of care was disrupted and care was not consistent with the needs of the population, despite new practices and the exchange of knowledge. The challenges originated from the caring of the population in other areas. The changes in the organization of care, due to the increase in demand for care and Previne Brasil, have led to the deconstruction of the FHS care model.