“
It is today that the next twenty years of French health are decided
”, warns Stéphane Attal, general practitioner since 1993 and member of the confederation of French medical unions (CSFM).
He came to demonstrate this Tuesday in Paris to testify "
his anger
" at the "
decay of the profession
".
Like him, a few thousand practitioners were at the rendezvous in front of the Invalides.
According to the organizers, there were 10,000 pounding the pavement.
The prefecture should announce its figures in the coming hours.
This day is particularly symbolic since it is the first time that the six unions, joined by the National Order of Physicians and Physicians for tomorrow, marched side by side, peacefully.
"
Liberals, hospitalists, young, old, patients... this mobilization brings everyone together
", underlines Marie-Hélène, who came from Allier for the occasion.
“
This is the first time that I have demonstrated because I am very worried about the medicine of tomorrow
,” she adds.
Read also“It is urgent to make caregivers and doctors want to practice their profession”
On the signs held up by the demonstrators, many bear the name of MP Stéphanie Rist (Renaissance): “
Stop Rist, stop off-piste
” or “
At your Rist and peril
”.
In question, one of his bills, voted on first reading and studied this Tuesday afternoon in the Senate.
The text aims to allow direct patient access to certain paramedics - nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists - without going through the attending physician.
"
I would like someone to explain to me how IPAs - advanced practice nurses - will follow a chronic pathology
", asks Stéphane Attal, "
we must remain the main players in the health of the French
".
Stéphane Attal, general practitioner since 1993 and member of the confederation of French medical unions (CSFM).
Emma Confrere / Le Figaro
An “insufficient” increase in the price of the consultation
A representative of the union of General Practitioners of France also points to the risk of "
two-speed medicine
".
“
We want medicine with a conductor, and this conductor is us,
” she says into her loudspeaker, followed by applause from her colleagues.
For his part, the Minister of Health, François Braun, affirmed this Tuesday morning on franceinfo that this reform aimed "
to give more time for care
" to doctors.
"
I understand their concern, not their hostility
," he added.
This bill is also supported by nurses, of whom fifty unions and associations denounced this Tuesday "
a systematic opposition of doctors to any evolution of (other) health professions
”.
If this reform represents the main reason for the dissatisfaction of the doctors, they also claim a revaluation of the price of the consultation.
In France, it now stands at 25 euros, one of the lowest prices in Europe, on average at 46 euros.
While negotiations are still ongoing, Medicare has proposed an increase of 1.50 euros, “
insufficient
” for general practitioners.
“
The price of 25 euros has not changed since 2016, except that our rents and our charges have increased considerably
”, notes Nathalie, who has been practicing her profession for ten years.
From left to right, Max, Bertrand and Nathalie came from Seine-et-Marne to parade.
Emma Confrere / Le Figaro
Alongside Nathalie, her son Max, "
discouraged
" by the profession, and her husband, Bertrand, a doctor for more than 40 years, also came to demonstrate: "
If the price of consultations is not raised enough, doctors threaten to disagree.
Everyone would then set their fees, prices could explode and the French would not be reimbursed.
“To ensure their professional expenses, the couple recommends a floor price of 30 euros, a price that François Braun himself considered”
not absurd
“.
"
We are not asking for money to put it in your pocket
", indicates a representative of the Young Doctors, "
we are asking for the means to take care of the population
".
The unions will be received Thursday by Thomas Fatôme, the director of Medicare.
This Tuesday, on
France Inter
, he said he was ready "
to go further in these revaluations, but in a logic of give and take
".
Counterparts are therefore expected, so that the doctors commit themselves “
to taking more patients, doing call duty and providing unscheduled care
”, he specified.
Doctors are now awaiting its conclusions and those of the government, but they will not hesitate to "
go harder and harder
" if they are not heard, assures the CSFM.