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Although recently opened, the health center of Livarot (Calvados) is gradually losing general practitioners (© Le Pays d’Auge)
Designed to accommodate 16 professionals, the PLivarot health center (Calvados) little by little loses his general practitioners and has a hard time attracting new practitioners.
Launched in November 2013 by the community of communes of the Pays de Livarot, the liberal and ambulatory health center project was intended to bring together health professionals and fight against the medical deserts in our countryside. At the opening, five general practitioners were present, but today, some work part-time and others will retire.
During the various questions of the last municipal council, managed by the community of agglomeration Lisieux-Normandie, the future of the health center in a few years.
Towards desertification?
“One of them must cease his activity for health reasons, another will reduce his hours and a third has given his four months notice to join the future health center of Lisieux, where he will be employed. I am shocked that the mayor of Lisieux can thus poach a doctor for the health center that he sets up outside the urban community ”.
And the first magistrate to reaffirm the need to have five general practitioners to meet the needs of the population of Livarot-Pays d’Auge. The mayor evoking the charges paid by the professionals present, rent, charges and secretarial charges, independent of the management of the community.
“I had a meeting with the three remaining doctors. The costs of the health center did not come into the discussion but they weigh heavier for three doctors than for five and are a brake on installation. It seems that the premium of twice € 25,000, paid to young doctors by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) for their installation in rural areas, no longer interests them. And we have a problem of attractiveness because Livarot like Orbec do not have a station for example and are not necessarily well served. It is a real handicap. The interns who come here do not stay because, for them, we are too far from Caen ”
How to attract new doctors?
Several avenues were discussed: retention bonus, search for a foreign doctor, recruitment of a salaried doctor.
For the moment, no decision has been taken but “there is an urgent need to find a short-term solution. On the other hand, taking a doctor next door is not done! “
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