‘Treated like criminals’, “considered responsible” of the increase in health expenditure by policies that feign “an apparent surprise” and no longer approach the issue of health except through the prism of economics, general practitioners are “indignant“, said this Thursday, during a press conference, the president of the MG France union Agnès Giannotti, who does not hesitate to talk about “bashing” and of “contempt” vis-à-vis general practitioners.
After the failure of negotiations on the price of consultations last February, MG France is waiting “a strong gesture” of the government to consider returning to the negotiating table and calls for “a shock of attractiveness for general medicine” shunned by medical students, a “real recovery” which passes by “the consultation at 30 euros”. “The government is increasing deductibles, but not consultations. It’s: do as I say, not as I do!” squealed Dr. Giannotti in denunciation “these taxes on the sick” which aggravate the renunciation of the care of the most modest.
However, the union does not rule out another form of inflation: that of the number of general practitioners who will override the arbitration settlement providing for the price of the consultation to be increased to 26.50 euros in the fall, to unilaterally increase their tariff to 30 euros. “We understand those who do and we frankly hope for proposals to make this proposed action lapse.”
While a strike is already looming on October 13, MG France does not rule out joining the movement. “We will discuss internally the means to be implemented to be heard.”
Until then, another watchword, addressed this time to the doctors accused of prescribing too many work stoppages: “Don’t let yourself be pushed around, don’t let yourself be intimidated. It’s a psychological pressure on the entire profession to reduce prescriptions. Get support, refuse to comply with a statistical and economic objective and not not for a public health purpose! And if they want to control every shutdown, let them.”
The tone is set, the fever is not likely to fall.