The rebellion continues. The inter-union of liberal doctors, which had launched a renewable strike at the end of last week, has decided to continue the movement, pending a new meeting on the evening of Tuesday, it indicated on Monday 16 October evening.
The renewable strike movement was launched on Friday, to demand the “urgent” reopening of new price negotiations with Health Insurance, and the modification of the Valletoux bill on access to care, which will be examined at the end of October in the Senate .
The inter-union wants to read the government’s framework letter for future negotiations, which must be made public on Tuesday. “The inter-union will decide” on the continuation or cessation of the movement “depending on the letter”, indicated Doctor Philippe Cuq, president of the Bloc (surgeons’ union) and spokesperson for the inter-union.
According to information given Monday by the office of Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau, the letter will reflect the fact that the minister has heard the “very strong expectations” of doctors in terms of revaluation of consultation prices. But the minister also expects doctors to be able to “help and support the public authorities” towards better control of health spending, the same source explained.
Avenues for negotiations
In the letter, the minister proposes four avenues for negotiations: “the attractiveness of private medicine” (remuneration, quality of life at work and reduction of administrative burdens, end of career, etc.), “the relevance and quality of care ” (monitoring and control of prescriptions for health products and sick leave), “the place of the attending physician and the specialist” in the face of the challenges of the aging population and the prevalence of chronic diseases, and finally “other modes remuneration” than consultation.
The government wants negotiations between representative unions and Health Insurance to begin “as quickly as possible”, and hopes for a first meeting at the end of October, indicated Aurélien Rousseau’s office. The inter-union brings together all the representative unions (Avenir Spé-Le Bloc, CSMF, MG France, FMF, SML, and UFML-S), unions of young and future doctors, and the Doctors for Tomorrow collective.