Strike at the public hospital: what consequences for patients?

It should be Black Thursday in public hospitals. Fifteen trade unions are calling on all staff to strike and demonstrate against their working conditions. Doctors, nursing assistants, deans and even students should join the processions of the demonstrations, organized in Paris and in other cities of France. The goal is to get the government to react, which is currently working on “a support plan” for the hospital. A promise made by the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, at the end of October and after months of strikes in French emergency services.

80% of strikers expected in Ile-de-France

Budgetary pressure, dilapidated establishments, lack of personnel and growing violence against health personnel… All the ingredients are there for a social movement of unprecedented magnitude. In prevention, public establishments have deprogrammed the majority of non-emergency surgical procedures. However, staff have been requisitioned to ensure the continuity of services. For its part, the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) provides for around 80% of paramedical staff (nurses, nursing assistants) on strike in the 37 hospitals in Île de France.

At least 268 emergency departments affected

Regarding the emergency services, many of them have already been on strike since March. The Inter-Urgences collective identified 268 out of 650 on Monday. If you need to get there, be aware that in the emergency services affected by the strike, there are always requisitioned personnel as well. Head doctors are also joining the movement. The latter begin a “coding strike”, which allows establishments to invoice medical procedures to Health Insurance. In Marseille and at the AP-HP for example, 380 services are affected by this act of protest. Twice, Agnès Buzyn tried to get out of the crisis, with a monthly bonus of 100 euros paid since July, and the announcement of a “refoundation” plan in September, in vain.