To meet the expectations of the liberals, Marisol Touraine presented a strategy to make the quality of life at work a political priority.
“Take care of those who care for us”is the slogan of the new national strategy for improving the quality of working life of health professionals. Presented this Tuesday to the outpatient sector (liberal doctors, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists …) by Marisol Touraine, it revolves around 3 axes.
The first aims to improve the conditions of exercise. The national observatory of the quality of life at work and psychosocial risks, provided for by the 1st part of the strategy dedicated to hospitals, will therefore also concern city professionals. He will be responsible for generalizing good ambulatory practices.
To avoid the loneliness of suffering professionals, support for the development of coordinated exercise will be strengthened, says the ministry. And the Minister announces that a “quality of life at work” module will also be added to the initial medical and paramedical training models and in continuing education (CPD).
Ensure the safety of caregivers
Faced with increasing violence in the offices of health professionals but also in pharmacies, the government is reaffirming its desire to ensure the safety of caregivers working on an outpatient basis. “Health-safety-justice” agreements will thus be developed and strengthened. More specifically, a guide and practical sheets will be drawn up in conjunction with the Ministry of the Interior. They will be distributed to professionals to prevent and deal with incivility and violence.
The objective: to reduce in particular attacks against practitioners, who do not back down. In 2015, 924 verbal or physical attacks were recorded by the Observatory for the safety of physicians. And the situation is hardly more reassuring on the pharmacy side, since the National Order of Pharmacists received 131 assault reports in 2015. Violence by firearms and threats especially flared up that year.
Better prevent burnout
In addition, to prevent and deal with suffering at work, a communication campaign will be developed to inform professionals about burnout at work and remind them of existing support systems. A second awareness campaign will also be launched, but this time for patients.
It will focus on “respect for the rules of politeness, verbal and physical non-violence, respect for commitments”. To warn the doctor “sufficiently in advance when one cannot honor one or more appointments” will have to become a reflex, underlines the ministry. Finally, a listening system will be set up to allow professionals confronted with suffering at work to talk about it to trained staff and to be referred, if necessary, to appropriate care.
As a reminder, just one month after launching its toll-free number (0 805 23 23 36 – free, available 24/7), the Healthcare Professionals Association (SPS) had already recorded more than 200 calls. caregivers in pain, demonstrating a need for listening and support.
The weak points of the strategy
But this new strategy has received a mixed reception from professionals. Five weeks before the first round of the presidential election, Marisol Touraine did not specify either the action schedule or the funding to apply the various measures of the plan, unlike the hospital component presented last December… The opportunity for liberal doctors to emphasize once again the difference in treatment with hospital practitioners.
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