Hi
My Husband and i are in the very early stage's of contemplating a move to France perhaps with the aim in the short term of my husband doing up a property and looking after our two young children and myself contiuing to work as a doctor.I am currently a GP partner in a very well regarded practice in berkshire but would like to be able to spend a little more time as a family and would hope to reduce my working hours if we did make a move to France perhaps working three/four days a week. If any one can give us any advice as to whether this is a realistic aim then we would be most grateful.I'm ashamed to admit that apart from learning at school many moon's ago neither of us speak french to any standard but would be intent on learning should we decide to make a move.I am aware that without speaking a high standard of french it would be impossible to work in an entirely french community but wondered whether there was a need for english speaking doctors in the areas which are more highly populated with ex pats and perhaps english speaking visitors.
Thanks
I think you will be surprised how badly paid and overworked GP's in France are, compared to the UK these days.
In France GP's are very unhappy about the levels of government reimbursement and the long hours and therefore envious of the new NHS contract arrangements the UK GP's negotiated several years ago, where average salaries are now into six figures.
The absolute necessity for fluency in the French language goes without saying, and I am not sure it would be practical or indeed permitted to just provide medical services to a particular ethnic section of the comunity. You might also want to check if there is a language competence test you need to take to practise medicine in France.
My sister who is a GP and Mum looked into this several years ago and came to the conclusion that it was only practical if you worked for one of the few American or English speaking international private hospitals in Paris and the South of France. She stayed in the UK and works part time for a GP practise, as apparently it is now easier to work flexible hours in the UKnow that most out of hours cover is outsourced to agencies.
Certainly in general practice in France, it's not at all uncommon for doctors to be just one person serving several communes, with no on-site support staff like receptionists, practice nurses etc, and to be on call round the clock for emergencies and home visits. Before we get the usual arguments I know that there are larger practices - it's just that what I describe is quite normal.
So the chances of being able to spend more time at home or cut down on commitments don't seem to be very high in France. Maybe you could be attached to a larger clinic in a town, but that might be difficult without a track record in France.
The only thing I can add which may be of help is that back in the 90s I did consider working in France and was offered a post in a hospital, at a grade somewhere between SHO and clinical assistant I would imagine. If there is a speciality that particularly interests you then you may find you could get initial employment that way and during that attachment learn how the french medical system works and of course become 100% fluent ( OK 99%) in the language.
and no I didn't take the post - the pay was rubbish!! so stayed in the dear NHS.
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