France faces medical access crisis amid new doctor mandates

France is facing significant challenges regarding medical access, with approximately 6.3 to 6.4 million citizens currently without a designated primary care physician.

In response to these shortages, the Cour des comptes has issued a report recommending that liberal general practitioners be required to maintain a minimum threshold of at least 500 patients. The court noted that out of over 53,000 general practitioners, more than 8,500 follow fewer than 200 patients annually or practice very little. Implementing this minimum could potentially bring an additional 2.5 to 4 million people into the coordinated care system. However, medical unions like the UFML-S have criticized the proposal, claiming it ignores field realities.

Separately, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has issued a circular instructing prefects to compile directories of doctors willing to accept new patients. While intended to assist police officers and their families who face difficulties finding doctors during administrative relocations, the move has been criticized by medical professionals as a preferential ‘fast-track’ for law enforcement amidst a broader national crisis.