“We’ll go fast, we’ll go hard“, here is the promise of the Minister of Health Olivier Véran concerning the “Ségur de la Santé” which begins this Monday, May 25 in France. At 3:30 p.m., union officials and collective caregivers will meet in a videoconference started by a speech by Edouard Philippe.
Representatives of nursing homes, medico-social establishments, hospitals or even city medicine for a total of 300 people. With one objective: improve the care of patients and the working conditions of caregivers, to hold under seven weeks of talks. By mid-July, conclusions from this unprecedented coronavirus crisis must be drawn, and by the end of September, partly included in the next Social Security budget. Tight agenda, therefore. But what are the issues?
Increase the salaries of nursing staff
The unions have been calling for it for years: raising the salaries of nursing staff is urgent. The bonus promised for workers mobilized on the Covid-19 was not enough to “put to sleep” this claim. For example, for nurses whose salary starts at 1500 euros net at the start of their career, Olivier Véran promised that it would be reviewed to be equivalent to the European average. That is an approximate increase of 300 euros per month.
Reorganize working time, increase the workforce
Those who wish to work more, should be able, according to Olivier Véran. However, there is no question of deregulating working time, but rather of organizing ourselves differently in accordance with what the Fédération hospitalière de France is asking for, which advocates a “advanced autonomy device” for hospitals. The idea is to make the 35 hours more flexible for volunteers only.
But to allow this, more staff are needed. Hospitals struggle to recruit and retain staff. In question: working conditions that are too difficult, a lack of human resources that are too heavy for the teams… Vacant positions, weakening of the teams in place and therefore: closure of beds.
Near 100,000 beds have been removed (clinics and hospitals combined) over the past 20 years. In 6 years, the hospital has lost 5.3% of its hotel capacity. Olivier Véran wishes reorganize the healthcare systemto be more patient-centred.
More means, more material
The government has mentioned its desire to fight against over-administration, driven by the Bachelot law of 2009, heavy in budgetary constraints for health establishments. That said, for the time being, no concrete measures in this direction have been taken.
the renewal of equipment is one of the crucial points that will be addressed by the Ségur de la Santé. This echoes Emmanuel Macron’s promise, at the end of March, concerning a “massive investment plan“for hospitals and nursing homes. Finally, the question of hospital debt (30 billion euros), and the recovery of it by the State will surely be part of the discussions.
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