French gp strike: what to do if you fall ill and need a doctor

GPS ACROSS FRANCE ARE SET TO STRIKE ON DECEMBER 1 AND 2 BUT IF YOU FALL ILL THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN ACCESS MEDICAL CARE Independent GPs in France are set to go on

strike tomorrow and Friday (December 1 and 2), with up to 70% expected to stay away from their surgeries. READ MORE: THIS WEEK'S GP AND LABORATORY STRIKES IN FRANCE: WHAT TO EXPECT READ

MORE: WHY GPS IN FRANCE ARE THREATENING TO STRIKE IN DECEMBER However, if you fall ill while the strike is taking place, there are still ways in which you can access medical care. CONTACT

SOS MÉDECINS SOS Médecins is an emergency service which sends a doctor directly to someone’s home rather than an ambulance. If you need a doctor urgently, you can call 36 24, and a volunteer

GP will come to your home. Some doctors’ surgeries have also put in place emergency numbers that patients can call on the strike days. OUT-OF-HOURS SERVICES If you fall ill out of normal GP

surgery opening hours, you can also contact your local _permanence de soins _(out-of-hours service). To find out the number of the _permanence de soins_ in your area, you can call 15. The

service can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week. READ ALSO: HOW TO FIND A DOCTOR OUT OF HOURS IN FRANCE CALL THE SAMU In an emergency, you can also call 15 to ask what you should

do. If the operator judges it necessary, an ambulance can be sent to your location. You will need to provide a phone number, the address the emergency services should go to and the reasons

for your call. You will be given advice on what to do before the ambulance arrives. GO TO A&E If you can, you can also go independently _aux urgences _(to A&E) in the case of an

emergency. You might go to A&E if you are experiencing acute pain, breathing difficulties, have had a fall or similar. Services are currently very busy across France, so if your

complaint is not an emergency it is better to go to an out-of-hours clinic. If you do not know what to do, you can also call your local out-of-hours service for advice. Of course, if your

health complaint is not urgent, you can also choose to delay booking a GP appointment until after the strike is over. RELATED ARTICLES CAN I ASK A FOREIGN GP FOR A FRENCH SPORTS CERTIFICATE?

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