From January 2017, sessions with the psychologist for young people aged 6 to 21 can be reimbursed. But psychiatrists believe that it is up to them to make the diagnosis.
Obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), anxiety, hyperactivity or bulimia, these ailments characteristic of mental suffering affect nearly one in eight children in France. And to help them, France has a total of around 13,000 psychiatrists. A figure that is not sufficient since obtaining an appointment with one of these specialists is sometimes very complicated.
To reverse this trend and improve access to care for these young people, an experiment was voted on at first reading on Thursday 27 October in the National Assembly. Presented by the government as part of the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) 2017, it aims to allow the care of young people aged 6 to 21 by city psychologists with reimbursement by Health Insurance .
It should even begin on January 1, 2017 (for four years) with the orientation of 2,000 young people to a liberal psychologist. These young patients will be referred by their GP, school doctor, or pediatrician. Since psychologists are not doctors, consultations are currently paid for by families. And it is this pattern that doctors want to keep, headwind against measure.
Doctors recall their course
In a press release published a few days ago, the Union of Liberal Doctors (SML) wrote: “How can we leave the expertise and follow-up of our young people aged 6 to 21 in the hands of non-health professionals with minimal a master’s degree in psychology? “And the union modestly recalls the CVs of the practitioners: “Psychiatrists are specialized doctors, subject to the Hippocratic oath, and recognized by a Diploma of Specialized Studies which validates the very specialized skills of psychiatry (… ) they have completed 10 years of study, including 4 of specialization in psychiatry, including numerous internships in hospital services and childcare services…”
Worse, the union fears that this experiment will be aimed at a possible generalization in the long term. In this respect, he recalls the words of MP Michèle Delaunay, rapporteur for the PLFSS 2017: “This experiment should make it possible to know whether the State should take charge of the consultations of psychologists”. Dr Éric Henry, president of the SML, concludes: “How can accounting logic prevail over the quality of the treatment of the psychiatric suffering of our youth? »
Same story from the side of the president of the Syndicate of French Psychiatrists, Dr Maurice Bensoussan, cuts the debate to him without concession: “the diagnosis must remain with us”. A watchword widely taken up by his colleagues in the media.
Improving early care
Asked by Allodoctors, Michèle Delaunay immediately retorted that the experiment is currently aimed at “checking whether city psychologists have a utility that can justify reimbursement by Health Insurance”. She added: “it is also about improving the early care of children. But if the ailments of young people persist, they will of course be transferred to specialized doctors, such as psychiatrists”. “During terrible suffering noted for example by the general practitioner, the child will be immediately referred to these practitioners”, she concludes.
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