Deputies and senators found a “compromise” on Thursday for direct access to certain nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists without going through a doctor, by opting for a more restrictive text than the initial bill. The parliamentarians met in a joint joint committee to try to reach an agreement around this text aimed at fighting against medical deserts, and initiated by the Macronist deputy Stéphanie Rist.
Adoption on the right track
The final adoption of this bill is now well underway in Parliament, on May 9 in the Senate and on May 10 in the National Assembly. “We got a real compromise”, after “bitter and long” discussions, explained Stéphanie Rist to AFP. The text aims in particular to broaden the missions of nurses in advanced practice (IPA). Patients will be able to access these carers directly, without going through the doctor, provided that these nurses work in establishments or health homes, and within the framework of a “coordinated exercise” with doctors.
In a joint joint committee, the parliamentarians partly rallied to the more restrictive version wanted by the Senate, by ruling out direct access to nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists practicing within professional territorial health communities (CPTS). The deputies however snatched an experiment on the subject in six departments including two Overseas, according to Stéphanie Rist.
Up to 8 physio sessions without a prescription
For access to physiotherapists, it will be possible without a prescription for eight sessions, instead of the ten in the text voted on at first reading in the Assembly. As the Senate wanted, they will not be able to prescribe suitable physical activity. Finally, the parliamentarians, as the senators argued, rejected the doctors’ request for “territorial commitment”, which could have led some to take on more patients, do on-call duty or practice in a medical desert, for example. They refer the matter to treaty negotiations. The initial text had angered liberal doctors.
MoDem deputy Cyrille Isaac Sibille was delighted with the agreement with the senators, a compromise which will make it possible to “renew the dialogue between health professionals”, he hopes.