Jean-François Rousset, député de l’Aveyron, exprime son soutien à l’optimisme de la maire de Millau concernant le futur hôpital.

Quels sont vos avis et qu’est-ce que vous retenez de ces seize premiers mois en tant que député ?

When one is elected as a parliamentarian, they quickly understand that there is a lot of work. It is therefore imperative to organize oneself. Never forgetting that a deputy is the link between the residents of their constituency and Paris, in the ministerial offices. We also echo the feelings of citizens regarding the decisions that are made or not made. In my opinion, this is the area where we must be most involved. It remains quite difficult when living in Southern Aveyron as it takes quite a bit of time to travel to Paris.
In the assembly, laws constructed in committees are debated and voted upon. We are also invited by ministries for working breakfasts or with associations and unions.

Est-ce que vous engagez également dans des activités pédagogiques dans votre circonscription pour expliquer certaines décisions et leur planning ?

Indeed, the deputy is involved in the decision-making process after a vote in the chamber. However, the time for the decrees comes afterwards, which is beyond our control.

Je ne peux pas reformuler.

Health, indeed, but also employment. All major societal issues go through this commission. And we have had a lot of work with full employment, retirement, and purchasing power.

Partagez-vous l’enthousiasme de la maire de Millau, Emmanuelle Gazel, concernant le futur hôpital ?

I encourage his optimism. Shortly after my election in July 2022, knowing that this project needed support and recognition, I had invited Agnès Firmin Le Bodo (Minister Delegate in charge of territorial organization and healthcare professions, Editor’s note) to put up the sign « Here will be built the common hospital of South Aveyron Millau-Saint-Affrique. » This was an important step as we had discussed the location. However, the funds to do so are included in the budget.

Obviously, there are mandatory steps such as field studies and the construction of the structure that will lead the project… But both mayors, Emmanuelle Gazel and Sébastien David, are in complete agreement. I take this opportunity to say that those who do not want it to progress express themselves a lot, while those who want it to progress work a lot.
It is beneficial for the quality of care and attractiveness, for all residents of the district, to have a shared hospital. This hospital will be built according to environmental standards with European framework that will provide some funding. Most importantly, this shared hospital will create a connection between primary care, residents, emergency services, and hospital practitioners. Not to mention the University Hospitals of Montpellier and Toulouse. We cannot continue with two deficit hospitals!

What is the timeframe for all of this?

We hope to lay the foundation stone in 2025 for a construction in 2028. It is progressing in that direction.

Will there be enough beds and enough caregivers?

There will be more beds, so there will be more healthcare personnel. The Government is determined to provide more resources to hospitals and to enhance the value of professions. I expressed myself very early after my election in an article to say that only less than 6% of young high school graduates in Aveyron, often with honors, choose medical professions. The causes are multiple, but the feeling of not being up to par dominates. To encourage the vocation of these young people, a specialized class was created at Jean-Vigo High School in Millau within a year to prepare them for medical exams. There was the willingness of the Government, the rector, the DASEN, and the principal of Jean-Vigo.

Est-ce que l’ancien médecin que vous êtes, qui fait également partie du groupe d’étude sur le cancer à l’Assemblée, met-il l’accent sur l’importance du dépistage en ce mois d’octobre rose ?

The idea is to raise awareness about this disease in order to promote acceptance, encourage people to get early screenings, and find ways for France to maintain its position in cancer research. Before the illness, it is necessary to identify high-risk populations and then conduct targeted screenings such as mammography. In Saint-Affrique, a new group of radiologists will be better directing women towards screenings. That’s great news.

During the Assembly, you spoke about ensuring the protection of children’s right to their image…

Des lois sont en train d’être votées. Elles concernent aussi bien les agressions physiques des enfants que le harcèlement à l’école et sur les réseaux sociaux. Ce dernier point est fondamental. La loi doit être suffisamment dissuasive pour éviter que des prédateurs sexuels ou psychologiques les menacent.

Quels sont vos projets à venir suite à l’événement que vous avez organisé il y a quelques semaines sur la brebis de Lacaune ?

At the European level, I am advocating, along with a deputy from Pyrénées-Atlantiques, for permission to sanitize wool in France. An exemption has already been granted to the Germans.