UFC-Que Choisir takes the State to court for “inaction”

“Unsurprisingly, medical desertification is increasing, due to increasing needs” and a “wave of retirements,” observes the association.

She alerts on “dramatic worsening” of medical demography. The UFC-Que Choisir association filed an appeal before the Council of State to denounce “inaction” of the government in the face of growing inequalities in access to care and to urge it to act, she announced on Tuesday, November 21.

“After years of negotiations with political decision-makers which remain unanswered, the UFC-Que Choisir today appeals to the Council of State to have the guilty government inaction noted and punished” And “defend the constitutional right to health”, writes the association. She denounces in particular “the stubborn refusal of the authorities to regulate the installation of doctors”and invites the French to sign and “share massively” a petition.

General practitioners, gynecologists, ophthalmologists, pediatricians: UFC-Que Choisir has updated its interactive map of inequalities in access to doctors with direct access, developed in 2022 based on public data and scientific literature. “Unsurprisingly, medical desertification is increasing, due to increasing needs” and a “wave of retirements”she observes.

One in five French people live in a medical desert for ophthalmology

The study crosses two criteria: the geographical distance of doctors – the “deserts” being characterized by a density 60% lower than the average for specialists located less than 45 minutes drive, or 30 minutes for general practitioners – and the prices charged.

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Thus, 19.3% of French people reside in an ophthalmology medical desert, 24.8% of women in a gynecological medical desert and 28.9% of children in a pediatric medical desert, analyzes the UFC.

By excluding practitioners who overcharge fees, “the situation is becoming absolutely catastrophic”, writes the UFC: more than one child in two lives in a place deserted by pediatricians, 59.3% of French people in a medical desert for ophthalmologists, and 69.6% of women for gynecologists.