For several years, hospitals have had to call on temporary doctors to run their operating theaters, at the cost of several thousand euros per day. A system that the Minister of Health Olivier Véran described Tuesday as "mercenarism" and which he wants to "put an end".

It has been a thorny subject for years in the hospital sector: medical interim, which has given rise to multiple controversies. Some establishments, faced with a shortage of practitioners, have no other choice but to call on temporary doctors. Except that this system is very expensive for public hospitals, which sometimes have to pay these temporary workers up to several thousand euros for a day's work. This medical interim is now in the sights of the government. The Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced that he wanted to "put an end" to what he called "mercenarism" on Tuesday on the occasion of the conclusion of the Ségur de la Santé.

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"Abuses", with remunerations of up to 2,500 euros for 24 hours

It is the nightmare of a number of hospital directors: to run their operating theater, there is no other solution than to call temporary doctors. But the latter set their salary conditions, often very high, up to 2,500 euros for 24-hour care, or even more if it is for a period of stress. The hospital is obliged to accept but, in the long run, sees its accounts heavily burdened. Olivier Véran assures him: he wants to put an end to these "abuses" which, according to him, lasted "too long".

"These are people who come to work 24 hours, who leave and who sometimes will never come back to the establishment. But that does not improve the continuity of patient care, because the quality of care is linked to stability. teams that will welcome patients in our establishments, "denounces François Jeffry, director of the Seine-et-Marne hospital center, interviewed Wednesday morning on Europe 1.

Block remuneration that exceeds the regulatory ceiling

Since the end of 2017, these interim assignments have been governed by a regulatory ceiling: no more than 1,170 euros gross for a 24-hour day. Except that, very often, this ceiling remains a dead letter. Concretely, the establishments which refuse to satisfy the wage claims cannot find temporary doctors. "Certain establishments and my colleagues are sometimes obliged to comply with the financial requirements of certain practitioners. They come to their establishments to ensure the continuity of activities, and particularly on emergency services or on the anesthesia activity in the blocks. operative ", explains François Jeffry.

The Minister of Health therefore proposes to have public accountants "block remuneration exceeding the regulatory ceiling" or to allow regional health agencies (ARS) to denounce abuses before administrative courts. Measures which should allow, according to Olivier Véran, to put an end to this "mercenarism".