Attacks reported by doctors on the rise, according to a study by the Order

2023-05-23 08:31:36

A doctor prepares her practice at the Pontgibaud health center (Puy-de-Dôme), November 24, 2022. JEFF PACHOUD/AFP

A study on the violence suffered by doctors, published on Tuesday, May 23, sadly echoes the news. That same day, a 37-year-old nurse died after a knife attack at Reims hospital, during which a medical secretary was also injured. The suspect, a 59-year-old man, was under reinforced curatorship and “seems to suffer from severe disorders”, according to the statement of the prosecutor. He was taken into custody for “assassination attempt”.

According to the census conducted by the Order of Physicians, tensions during consultations are no longer of the order of« exception », even if a drama like that of Reims, whose investigation must still clarify the facts, is of course the exception. Threats, insults, thefts, blows: some 1,244 attacks were reported to the Order in 2022. For twenty years that the organization has encouraged this type of report, this is the first time that the reports recorded exceed the threshold of 1,200.

Figures to put into perspective, with regard to some 120,000 independent doctors and 60,000 hospital practitioners in exercise. Nevertheless, the worrying trend: “In a very social contexts tense, we are seeing an almost 20% increase in incidents year-on-year”, notes Doctor Jean-Jacques Avrane, delegate for security issues within the ordinal body and president of the consdepartmental eye of the order in Pariss. “And this record is certainly undervaluedhe wishes to add, so difficult is it for a physician to make a report involving one of ses patients. »

“Highest level ever reached”

After a downward trend between 2019 and 2020, the number of declared assaults started to rise again with 1,009 reports in 2021, some of which were linked to the health crisis (wearing a mask, vaccination, etc.). The statistics unveiled on Tuesday are part of this trend and make 2022 a record – “the highest level ever reached” since the creation, in 2002, of the Observatory for the safety of doctors, whose Dr.^r Avrane in charge. The first count, in 2003, was 638 reports.

In detail, we find in the tables trends already observed previously: verbal attacks – threats and insults – represent nearly two-thirds of incidents (around 900 reports), far ahead of 92 physical attacks, the 124 thefts or attempted thefts and the 87 reported acts of vandalism.

Read also the interview (2022): Violence and aggression have “a catastrophic impact” on hospital staff

So much for the “facts”. Concerning the “reasons”, a third of the incidents stem from a ” reproach “ relating to support. One in five, a prescription refusal (medication, work stoppage). One in ten, of a waiting time deemed excessive.

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