French surgeons plan London 'exile'

Surgeons are in a militant mood

Hundreds of surgeons in private practice in France are threatening a brief "symbolic exile" in Britain next month in protest at static rates of pay and high insurance premiums.

The surgeons say that the fees paid for their services have remained the same for the last 15 years, while their insurance premiums have increased up to 10-fold.

They say the week-long visit to London, which is set for the end of August, is to alert the French government to the fact that, as a result, fewer medical students are choosing to specialise in surgery.

Unfortunately nowadays, in France, hospital careers are not based on merit Mr Eric Chemla

"Doing nothing today will be irresponsible. Being responsible today is to warn that the situation is serious: tomorrow we won't have any more surgeons," Dr Philippe Cuq told France-2 TV, speaking on behalf of an association of French surgeons.

London career

The television highlighted the case of Mr Eric Chemla, who has been working in London for two years, after practising in the cardiovascular unit in the Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris.

"Unfortunately nowadays, in France, hospital careers are not based on merit but on length of service or on who arrived first... or on other criteria which are not very clear," he said.

"I was asked to wait and to accept fixed-term contracts one after another."

Mr Chemla, who now works for one of London's biggest hospitals, St George's, jointly manages a kidney transplant unit as well as teaching and advising the government.

This is "a professional advancement much faster than in France", the TV reported.

"I would have been delighted to get a post in France, of course... But, if I were to ask the French authorities or a French institution to employ me now, they would not be able to pay me as much as here," Mr Chemla said.

"It's totally impossible. In France wages cannot be negotiated as they can in Britain."

Government concern

Many French surgeons are coming up to retirement in the next few years; their average age is 55. The French government has acknowledged the problem.

Health Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy told the TV channel that young doctors were avoiding training as surgeons.

"This trend must be stopped," he said. He pledged a "week of discussion... in that direction: saving surgery."

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