Medical deserts: the Assembly adopts the text providing for the regulation of the establishment of doctors

On Wednesday, May 7, MPs approved the cross-party bill "aimed at combating medical deserts." The bill includes a plan to enforce regulation of doctors' practice in order to distribute them more equitably across the country, despite overall underfunding.

Ninety-nine MPs voted in favor of the bill, while nine voted against, out of the 577 MPs in this legislature. A similarly divided result was observed when the contentious article was voted on.

The text was therefore adopted by the National Assembly against the advice of the government, which opposed it, with Prime Minister François Bayrou preferring another, less coercive system of occasional shifts for health professionals.

The idea of ​​regulating the establishment of doctors has also provoked anger within the profession. Young doctors, supported by liberal unions, have launched a strike, expressing their regret that such a measure could diminish the attractiveness of the profession and exacerbate the shortage.

Healthcare professionals, for their part, are calling for incentive measures, particularly assistance with setting up in less dynamic areas, while a number of costly schemes already exist, without any real effect according to various reports.

The bill now faces further opposition in the Senate, where it is likely to face more opposition. Many questions remain, including the criteria for determining which departments are over- or under-funded .