While François Fillon proposes to reduce workstations and increase working time at the hospital, observers question the feasibility of the program.
The day after François Fillon’s victory in the right-wing primary, some rejoice, others dry their tears … and the last wonder. This is the case in the hospital environment, where we see the reforms follow one another – 35 hours, HPST, T2A… – with a certain number of deleterious effects which push doctors and paramedics to show their fed-up. in the street.
In a hospital on the verge of rupture, the “Fillon plan” to restore public finances is therefore greeted with suspicion. The right-wing candidate has promised to cut 500,000 civil servant positions, including some in the hospital. Of course, he cannot suppress them on his own, this prerogative being the responsibility of the directors of establishments, but he can appoint leaders who will have, precisely, this idea behind their heads.
“Ideological and irrelevant”
However, this is an “ideological, infeasible and irrelevant” program, according to Frédéric Pierru, a sociologist specializing in this sector. In fact, François Fillon has multiplied the statements by explaining that the working time should be increased in the hospital and that the 35 hours should be transformed into 39 hours, at equal pay. He also highlighted the price convergence between the public and the private sector, as well as the modification of the status of the hospital which could become an ESPIC (private health establishment of collective interest).
“François Fillon’s program will empty the hospital of its vital force,” says Frédéric Pierru. Not only, we tell the nursing staff that they will change their status and work more to earn less, while we know the level of exhaustion and exasperation of this staff … But in addition, we explain that we will cut positions, while many services do not even operate just in time, they are plunged into disorganization… ”
Frédéric Pierru, sociologist at the CNRS: ” If tomorrow, you make this reduction plan, it is the organized scrapping of the public hospital service. “
“Take the issues upstream”
On the side of the FHF (Hospital Federation of France), the reactions are a little more nuanced but no less skeptical. Job cuts are simply seen as impractical. “If there is a sector of the public service where we cannot apply this kind of rules automatically and mechanically, it is the hospital,” said Frédéric Valletoux, president of the FHF.
Thus, for the one who is also LR mayor of Fontainebleau “you just have to walk through the doors of a hospital to see that people are not twiddling their thumbs. If we want to solve the problems, we may have to start by putting the hospital in its rightful place and addressing the issues upstream. It is not normal that attendance increases by 10% each year in the emergency room. The hospital is not there to take over primary care more and more. It is true that the health system does not work very well, but as it currently functions, I do not see how we can save staff at the hospital ”.
Frédéric Valletoux, President of the FHF: ” Beyond the display, François Fillon is well acquainted with the functioning of hospitals. He does not imagine that we can save so much there “
What will remain of François Fillon’s program during the presidential debates, or even during a possible mandate? The question then arises that between the campaign announcements and the principle of reality, there is sometimes a gap. Dominique Stoppa-Lyonnet, the candidate’s health spokesperson, has already indicated that certain projects would not be deployed, such as the universal franchise. What will happen to the hospital?
.
