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Post by woolybanana on Oct 27, 2021 18:16:54 GMT 1
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Post by houpla on Oct 27, 2021 19:08:33 GMT 1
Sadly, it's certainly true of our local hospital. They had to shut the urgences between 10.30pm and 8am this summer due to a lack of doctors. Now the directeur has resigned in protest at the 'shoestring' running of the place. It's a bit of a b***** if you have to travel 1 1/2 hours to Bordeaux to get decent care!
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Post by lindalovely on Oct 27, 2021 21:10:29 GMT 1
It's the same problem all over..an ageing population and a shrinking workforce.. Doctors retiring and no one to take their place. I saw an ENT specialist yesterday. He had a waiting list of 3 months for appointments. He was well passed retirement age, and no one around to replace him. My GP does 2 days a week at our medical centre and 2 days a week somewhere else.
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Post by Sizewell on Oct 28, 2021 8:27:45 GMT 1
Our GP quit her practice in July, and moved to Paris. She was the only doctor in our town and as yet no one has replaced her. The nearest doctor to us is now about a 10-15 minute drive. Her advice to me before she left was to not register with one of these doctors but to wait, plus she gave me a 6 month prescription. The surgery was in a brand new health complex built only about 2 years ago and was about a 2 minute walk from where we live. I am a T1 diabetic so need to visit a doctor regularly. Fortunately I saw my Diabetolog a few weeks ago and she wrote up a years prescription for all my medical needs (including items not related to diabetes).
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Nifty
Member
Posts: 5,016
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Post by Nifty on Oct 28, 2021 8:40:32 GMT 1
I have travelled around to various medical faciities in sw France quite a bit over the past six months or so. One thing that they seem to have in common is that they seem to be undergoing massive redevelopent. When this construction is nearing completion, it is possible that governments will have more money to spend on staffing what they have built properly; as opposed to certain fraudulent individuals milking the system and stuffing their offshore accounts. …
Let’s hope.
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Post by lindalovely on Oct 28, 2021 11:01:03 GMT 1
I have travelled around to various medical faciities in sw France quite a bit over the past six months or so. One thing that they seem to have in common is that they seem to be undergoing massive redevelopent. When this construction is nearing completion, it is possible that governments will have more money to spend on staffing what they have built properly; as opposed to certain fraudulent individuals milking the system and stuffing their offshore accounts. … Let’s hope. I'm sure that some of it is financial but the lack of qualified doctors is more structural. Working in rural areas is not attractive because if their partners work there isn't a lot for them to do out in the sticks. |
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Post by houpla on Oct 28, 2021 14:08:21 GMT 1
The French government has tried plenty of carrots, perhaps now it's time for a big stick? IIRC, newly qualified teachers and police are guaranteed a job but they have to go where they're sent. Why not apply the same principle to the medical profession?
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Post by gigi on Oct 28, 2021 15:32:00 GMT 1
I asked a friend living in France when her op is due, knowing it was in November - hoping it hadn’t been cancelled again.
It was cancelled once due to shortages, then cancelled for several months because she had an illness - not Covid-related - and has now had her health checks arranged by her GP including ordering taxis.
But as her previous op was actually halted by the anaesthetist just before being put under, she’s obviously extremely worried.
Edited 18h: I forgot to say that as 20% of beds in hospitals have been closed off due to a lack of staff, she’s even more worried about possible delays.
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Nifty
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Post by Nifty on Oct 28, 2021 16:43:20 GMT 1
@ lindalovely
BTW My comment about fraud was not aimed at French but more to England.
and
it is the cost of taxiing patients around that bump up the cost. It is a good way of putting huge amounts of money back into the system ?
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Post by gigi on Oct 28, 2021 17:26:04 GMT 1
@ lindalovely BTW My comment about fraud was not aimed at French but more to England. and it is the cost of taxiing patients around that bump up the cost. It is a good way of putting huge amounts of money back into the system ? Nifty Avatar Oct 28, 2021 17:43:20 GMT 2 Nifty said: it is the cost of taxiing patients around that bump up the cost. It is a good way of putting huge amounts of money back into the system ? Nifty, it must be a huge cost to have so many people given transport for medical appointments, rather than only those who really need it to be provided. French friends and neighbours also complain about so many people being sent away to the coast, mountains etc, I’ve forgotten what it’s called, but a couple (?) of weeks of exercises and sea/mountain air in pleasant locations. I first knew about it about 12 years ago when a neighbour very kindly insisted that we borrow the tv from her guest room, when she discovered that we didn’t have tv in the apartment. We still haven't, haven’t wanted got one, even for long, dark, bitterly cold winter nights. She asked for it back the day before leaving for her medical trip away to the coast at Belaruc and explained all about it. When we saw her car almost packed to go the following day, we really thought that everything but the kitchen sink was packed in it, as she needed to save money by cooking some of her meals. She always loves going and is full of energy on her return. Actually, she’s constantly full of energy; if she’s mot out on long walks around the hilly villages in the area, she’s playing pétanque with some group or other, dashing around helping with all sorts things. |
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Post by omegal on Oct 28, 2021 20:42:14 GMT 1
Depends on their health care, for many the places are for Curists (sp) in which case many go to Spa areas. Some summers to visit friends in the area we used to stay in Greoux les Bains and the campsite was full of curists.
The French health system has long been short of cash and staff but try telling that to some Brits.
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