With 75.9% of doctors being victims of violence, private practitioners in Occitania are calling for greater protection.

“I have been observing a negative trend in the numbers for many years and, apart from the seriousness of the facts, from an individual point of view, I am concerned about the collective access to health care, since the number of doctors is decreasing every week,” laments Cyril Schon, general practitioner and president of SOS Médecins in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), and was also elected to the Regional Union of Health Workers (URPS) of Occitania. In February, the department conducted an inventory of 441 private doctors in the region. The study shows that almost 95% of private doctors surveyed say they have had to “manage” violent situations.

The majority of private physicians in the region who responded to this survey are women working in group practices in semi-rural areas. 75.9% of doctors have already become victims of violence over the past three years, including 30% several times a year. 310 of them were subjected to personal attacks: verbal, physical or psychological violence.

Home care is gradually being abandoned

The medical desert and the suffering of patients are highlighted by professionals. “It is part of the reality of daily exercise, even in rural areas,” assures Cyril Schon, who was himself attacked during a night visit to his home in the center of Toulouse. Patients have difficulty getting medical care, so when we arrive they are already upset, but this does not justify aggressiveness or violence. Doctors end their careers without a successor, which compounds the problem. We must protect care.” The impact of this violence shows that 12.6% of doctors have decided to reduce or stop their on-call hours, and 10.3% are no longer providing in-home consultations.

The study also revealed the lack of legal sanctions and the difficulties faced by injured doctors in filing complaints. Only 18% make it through the door of a police station. Often their complaints are rejected or doctors are not informed of the ongoing proceedings. “I accidentally called the police in connection with an attack on a colleague, but no one came,” laments Cyril Sean. When I myself was attacked, I wrote a statement to the police station, then I was summoned to court, but the attacker was not there. The decision was put on hold and I haven’t heard anything since. To support doctors, a legal representative is needed for monitoring, which is provided for by law but is not enforced.”

The Regional Union of Medical Workers also notes that hospital doctors who are victims of violence are better supported by the judiciary, since this is an aggravating circumstance for the attacker. The body condemns double standards and calls on authorities to strengthen protection for private doctors.