December 19, 2017.
According to the French Hospital Federation (FHF), the deficit of public hospitals is exploding. A situation that risks further complicating the work of nursing staff.
The government always asks for more savings
Public hospitals have never been so in debt. ” The red line is exceeded “, Warned the president of the Hospital Federation of France (FHF) Frédéric Valletoux in a press release. ” It is the quality of care that is threatened today. The hospital cannot be at the same time the pillar of the health system and the only variable of economic adjustment. In one year, the situation would indeed have deteriorated significantly.
The deficit of public hospitals would thus have fallen from 470 million euros in 2016 to 1.5 billion euros in 2017. But how is this possible? According to the FHF, “ this degradation “Is explained by” the impact of annual savings plans “. Over the past 3 years, the various plans have represented 3 billion euros. And this is not about to stop. In the latest Social Security Finance Bill, the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn is asking hospitals to save 1.6 billion over one year.
Poorer quality care for patients
But that’s not all. According to the FHF, the deficit has also widened because of a ” activity throughout the year less dynamic than that foreseen during the construction of hospitalization rates a year ago “. Patients may be the first to suffer. Hospitals will indeed continue to provide care, but with much less resources. And who says less means, says less staff and a degraded quality of care.
” 1.5 billion deficit, that represents 30,000 jobs », Denounces Frédéric Valletoux. ” If the government’s goal is to put in place a plan to cut jobs, it must be said! What the FHF is asking for is the unfreezing of all the credits put in reserve (400 million euros). Each year, part of the funds used to finance hospitals are in fact set aside by the government. However, Agnès Buzyn has just announced that she would only unfreeze 150 million euros.
Marine Rondot
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