Access to healthcare: 73% of French people have faced difficulties in accessing care over the past five years.

Access to healthcare in France is deteriorating significantly, according to a recent survey which reveals that nearly 73% of French people have already forgone at least one medical procedure in the last five years. The reasons cited include excessively long waiting times, financial difficulties, and the remoteness of healthcare facilities.

Waiting times for appointments have increased significantly. It now takes nearly two weeks to get an appointment with a general practitioner, compared to just a few days previously. The situation is even more strained for specialists, with waiting times of several months for some, particularly in cardiology and dermatology.

A system under pressure and growing concerns

This deterioration in access to healthcare is fueling a growing sense of anxiety. A majority of French people now fear hospitalization due to the perceived precarious state of healthcare facilities.

Faced with these tensions, the use of emergency rooms for non-urgent care is increasing, a sign of a system under pressure. With the 2027 presidential election approaching, healthcare is emerging as a major issue, in a context of persistent deficits in public hospitals and difficulties accessing care across a large part of the country.