It is incomprehensible rampage. That of the office of Dr Claude Fossé in a popular district of Mantes-la-Ville. Discouraged, the 74-year-old doctor decided to retire without further delay.

Increase in incivility

A choice understood by one of his colleagues who works, by vocation, in the same district. “We have constant incivility problems, difficulties in managing certain populations who have psychological problems, not to say psychic, who have dependence problems, there are quite a few here.

People who have addictions to both legal and illegal products. So it’s difficult to exercise in a working-class neighborhood ” explains Patrick Lefoulon, general practitioner in the Merisiers district in Mantes-la-Ville.

4 million French people affected

In this city, the number of doctors has already been divided by three in twenty years. For the inhabitants, it becomes very difficult to have access to health care. And this situation is far from being an exception.

In France, medical deserts affect at least 4 million people. And the most precarious have half the access to healthcare than the others. Yet health needs have increased due to population growth.

Installation obligation?

And it is often the working-class neighborhoods that suffer the most because the population density is also higher there. So, should we force young practitioners to settle there?

No question for the Order of Physicians. “Going to force a female or male doctor to go and settle in an area where he will risk his life, his physical or mental health, or suffer assault?” You know when you have an unpleasant phone call from a patient, it disturbs you for twenty-four hours ” advances Dr. Boissin, Secretary General of the Order of Physicians.

In France, the average age of general practitioners is 51 years. And 3,500 retire each year.