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Some doctors choose to work on a temporary basis and respond to the demand from hospitals needing health professionals to operate. From April, their rates will be capped in the public service. Are we heading towards a degradation of care for patients treated in these establishments? The point of view of Dr Arnaud Chiche, anesthesiologist-resuscitator and president of the Santé en danger collective.
As in all professions, doctors can choose to work on a temporary basis. A status that allows them to meet the needs of various hospital services in France, while retaining some freedom in their exercise.
The Rist law will cap the allowances of temporary doctors
However, the rates at which they can be charged are disturbing, with some doctors publicly admitting to earning up to 7,000 euros in a week. So much so that a law, called the Rist law, was decided in 2021 and must be applied from next month. It provides for the capping of on-call allowances for temporary doctors at 1170 euros gross per twenty-four hours.
What is the current situation ?
For Dr. Arnaud Chiche, this situation is an intellectual scam. “Blaming the few doctors who resort to this type of practice is not the right thing to do. Of course they exist, but they are a minority. They are unfortunately taking advantage of the situation, it is not ethical, but who created it? first of all denounces the resuscitator.
What is the real problem then? “The real problem is that there is a shortage of doctors in France and nothing is being done to change the situation” hammers the doctor.
“The public hospital has lost all attractiveness, the working conditions and the ultra-administrative side affect the doctors. Guards are paid 200 euros per night during the week. Nothing is done to keep the people who work there“says Arnaud Chiche.
“I prefer a temporary worker who is happy to work than a doctor on the job who is burnt out”
For the doctor, the change in mentality of new doctors is also ignored. “Today, the younger generation wants to work but they want to do it in good conditions, keeping a certain freedom and a certain flexibility. The dogma of the doctor who can be forced to thank you is over and this is also something that must be taken into account”.
The resuscitator is clear: “I’d rather see an interim doctor happy to come to work than a current doctor who is burnt out. We know which of the two can kill a patient.“.
What will be the consequences for patients?
Precisely, what will be the consequences of this law on patients? According to Arnaud Chiche, this situation will worsen access to care for the French. “This law will aggravate the suffering of the French people who will see their access to care reduced, for lack of doctors who will now turn away from public establishments. Hospitals are no longer solvent? Yet it is they – through their directors – who sign the interim contracts… And why, in parallel with this law, did you not propose a salary increase for nurses, for example? We would have had nothing to oppose in this case” concludes the doctor.