has the number of nursing homes doubled?

To fight against medical deserts, Emmanuel Macron affirmed on December 8: “We have developed nursing homes with the communities. We are in the process of doubling them”. If we look at the numbers, we have gone from 1322 houses and health centers in 2017 to around 2400 today. But does this improve the situation? We went to check in Seine-et-Marne, one of the least endowed departments in France. There is indeed a health center there which was created in 2019. The doctors are even salaried there.

Some territories are deserted

In the waiting room, patients always have a hard time getting an appointment. “I waited seven weeks to see a GP”, says a patient. Some sometimes come from afar: “I come from Donnermarie-Dontilly, about twenty kilometers from here, because our attending physician retired in July”. In the village in question, the mayor has been looking for a doctor for several months, without success. “There are four practices in our nursing home, we are ready to welcome someone”, explains Sandrine Sonsinski. Studies show that houses and health centers can attract young doctors, but in deserted areas, these structures are not enough.