70 new ‘medical buses’ to be deployed in rural France
The French government plans to bring the total number of ‘medical buses’ to 100 by the end of 2027 – as part of its plans to deal with areas of the country, especially rural areas, that have a shortage of doctors.
An additional 70 ‘medical buses’ are to be deployed across France by 2027, bringing the total to 100, as part of a renewed attempt to improve access to healthcare in ‘medical deserts’.
The clinics – known as médicobus – primarily give patients access to general practitioners. However, they can also offer consultations with specialists such as gynecologists, cardiologists, ophthalmologists, as well as dentists and midwives, depending on local need.
One médicobus can service several municipalities, spending a full or half day in each one at a time, and they’re usually stationed outside public buildings.
34 mobile medical units have already been certified under the first phase of the programme, which was launched in 2023 under former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. Initially, the objective was to deploy around one hundred mobile units by the end of 2024.
In a press release, the government said: “In order to continue this momentum and in a renewed commitment by the government to combat medical deserts, a second call for projects is launched to deploy a total of 100 medical buses across the entire national territory.”
‘Medical deserts’ (deserts medicaux) are areas where there are not enough doctors and where patients therefore find it difficult or impossible to get an appointment when they need one.
It’s estimated that around two-thirds of France does not have enough doctors, with the problem especially acute in rural areas – the worst affected are médecins généralistes (GPs or family doctors), but paediatricians and dentists are also in short supply.
The médicobus announcement comes after the launch of a new scheme for newly qualified medical students to spend a year working in areas that have a shortage of doctors – 2,700 junior doctors began work under this scheme in mid October.
When the médicobus project was launched in 2023, the government said it should be considered a temporary solution and a first step towards building a more sustainable healthcare system in the region.
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According to Banque des Territoires, which is providing some of the funding for médicobus scheme, each unit is expected to cost an average of €200,000 per year.
To reach the target of 100 médicobus across France by 2027, the government has established a new formal partnership with the bank, which is allocating €3.2 million to support both the government running of the scheme and individual projects, which will each receive €25,000.
Besides Banque des Territoires, the second phase of the project is funded primarily by Agences Regionales de Santé (ARS) and l’Assurance Maladie, with further contributions from other sources, such as local authorities and private funds.
Mobile medical units that meet the requirements can also join the France Santé network, established in 2025 with the aim of allowing every French person to access a ‘health solution’ in less than 30 minutes and to obtain a medical appointment within 48 hours if their health condition requires it.
