While the know-how of public hospitals is envied abroad, the rate of obsolescence has never been so high. Even more serious, the quality of care sometimes deteriorates, even within operating theaters. The Eye of 8 p.m. explains.
About thirty kilometers from Paris, the Arpajon public hospital has a dilapidation rate of almost 70%. On condition of anonymity, a nurse who has worked here for several years shows us the state of a patient’s room.
“There are so many things, I don’t pay attention anymore”
an anonymous nurseAt the Eye of the 20H
Obsolescence, a risk for patients
While a patient is in bed, she points out the paint that is peeling off the walls and ceiling. Further, in pulmonology, infiltrations coming from the roof generate mold. In this department, however, the patients are particularly fragile. According to an infection control doctor at the hospital, it is not safe for patients.
“The main risk is that patients can breathe in a fungus from mold and this can cause an infection in their lungs.”
Hervé Soule, expert doctor in the fight against infections in hospitalsAt the Eye of the 20H
But for the hospital management, work worth 30 million is underway and everything is done according to the rules.
For more than 10 years, the obsolescence rate has continued to rise in France, reaching 80% of equipment and more than 55% of buildings.
“Children left in misery“, according to staff
The old Clocheville pediatric hospital in Tours was already brand new, but due to a lack of sufficient budget, the move is no longer relevant and the old building will remain in service. 10 million euros of work is planned but for the personal, we are far from the mark.
“We are very cold in winter, we have to seal the windows. In summer we put on survival blankets to insulate ourselves from the heat. We have recorded 32 degrees in the buildings.”
an anonymous caregiverAt the Eye of the 20H
Unsuitable premises which, according to another caregiver, also anonymous, do not allow the children and their families to be properly cared for.
“There are certain rooms where you have to force yourself to bring in the beds. You bang against the frames, it can hurt the children’s backs. You involuntarily hurt them because of the dilapidated premises.”
An anonymous caregiverAt the Eye of the 20H
Tired of fighting against dilapidated premises and unsuitable equipment, caregivers are increasing their sick leave. Understaffed, they say in particular that they do not have time to come and comfort the children when they are in distress. We discover a little boy crying all alone in his room, clinging to the bars of his bed. We call a nurse.
“It’s sad to say but I’ve hidden it completely. I couldn’t tell you how long he’s been crying. Unfortunately it’s also a way of protecting us. It breaks our hearts.”
An anonymous caregiverAt the Eye of the 20H
Sadly everyday scenes, as several nurses and caregivers have confirmed to us. On this specific point, we request management.
“We can quickly, with children, have the feeling of being mistreated, sometimes it is justified. If there is indeed a problem of absenteeism, we replace it, having trained staff specifically in pediatrics.”
Richard Dalmasso, Deputy Director General of the CHRU of ToursAt the Eye of the 8 p.m.
Overload of work, loss of meaning, almost one in two nurses leaves the hospital after ten years. There would be 60,000 vacant positions, with the resulting closure of 39,000 beds in 10 years. A deterioration of the health system which even impacts operating theaters.
The undone investigation of losses of luck
A surgeon at the Pitié Salpêtrière hospital (AP-HP) in Paris claims to be working in degraded mode. Half the time, he claims to operate with temporary nurses who, according to him, do not always have the necessary skills.
“I have had nurses who did not know the names of the instruments. When a patient is bleeding, he must not bleed for more than a few seconds and we cannot afford to search around to find an instrument .”
Julien Gaudric, vascular surgeon at the Pitié Salpêtrière hospital (AP-HP)At the Eye of the 8 p.m.
This surgeon has never experienced an incident. However, in its latest report, the High Authority for Health (HAS) reveals that serious adverse events have increased in hospital by 27% in one year. Faced with the absence of an official investigation into these losses of opportunity, a group of caregivers is sounding the alarm. For 2 years, Doctor Salachas has been building a database based on specific incidents reported in the press.
“We have the impression that the public health authorities do not want to make this assessment. Because once we have made the observation, when we have the responsibility to protect the French, we cannot say it is like that and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Francois Salachas, neurologist, member of the Inter Hôpitaux collectiveAt the Eye of the 20H
During a trip to the Dijon hospital, the new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal promised a budget described as “historic” for the public hospital. He confirmed an envelope of 32 billion euros voted last year for the health system.
Among our sources: