Paris (AFP)

Nearly half of all GPs (44%) refuse to become the doctor treating new patients, according to a survey released Thursday by consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, which calls for "emergency measures" against deserts medical.

From 8 to 22 June, 2,770 general practitioners in 78 departments were contacted by volunteers of the association "to find out if they accepted new patients as a doctor," says UFC-Que Choisir.

The request was refused by 44% of GPs solicited, plus 9% of doctors who said that "they wanted to see the patient first before deciding."

These results cover large disparities: "if less than 20% of GPs refused new patients in the Lower Rhine, Meurthe-et-Moselle and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the refusal rate climbs to 70% in the Allier, 78% in the Charente and even 86% in Seine-et-Marne, "says the association.

As for the motives evoked, 71% of respondents "say they already have too many patients, when 14% argue about their upcoming retirement".

Another finding, "the greatest difficulties are not found in the most important medical deserts, but more in the peripheral France of the average communes", notes the UFC-Que Choisir.

Thus, refusal rates amount to 33% in municipalities with less than 3,000 inhabitants, and 34% in those with more than 100,000 people, against 52% in cities with 10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, explains the association.

"Refusals are fewer when the supply of generalists is clearly insufficient (39% of refusals on average) than in territories where the density is average (46%)", doctors located in rural areas may have be "more reluctant to refuse patients" private "alternative," she adds.

The UFC-Que Choisir "presses" the public authorities "to act finally to reduce the medical deserts" and calls to regulate the installation of doctors.

It also asks "the Minister of Health (Agnès Buzyn) to put an end to the financial penalty of users without a doctor" and "to organize urgently a system of designation of a doctor treating each user who will the demand".

In France, 8.6% of patients over 16 years old do not have a doctor, essential to avoid penalties or reimbursement reductions by the Health Insurance.

© 2019 AFP