Violence against doctors has increased by 23% in one year in France, more than 1,200 attacks and violence recorded

According to the Doctors’ Safety Observatory set up by the National Council of the Order of Physicians, 1,244 doctors were victims of aggression and/or violence in 2022. That is an increase of 23% compared to 2021. (1,009 cases identified). Over twenty years, the average is 841 incidents per year.

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General practitioners were the most numerous victims (71% of cases) although they represent only 43% of the profession. In the other specialties, psychiatrists, cardiologists, gynecologists, ophthalmologists and occupational physicians are the most exposed.

Six out of ten doctors do not file a complaint

These are most often incidents related to treatment or refusal of a prescription, threats, theft or attempted theft, physical attacks and vandalism. In 10% of cases, the incident is linked to a “waiting time deemed excessive”. Only 12 incidents declared in 2022 have as a reason the mention “antivax.”

In total, 6% of these attacks or violence resulted in a work stoppage. And, as in previous years, more than 6 out of 10 victim doctors do not file a complaint or a handrail. “The Order of Physicians strongly encourages physicians who are victims to take this step. While ‘vigilance-violence-security’ commissions are being deployed in all of the Order’s departmental councils, the Order reminds doctors that their advice departmental can be a support in any difficult moment, and a support for all the legal steps that wishes to undertake a doctor victim of aggression”, indicate the representatives of the profession.