Emmanuel Macron’s electoral promise to recruit 50,000 nurses and nursing assistants in nursing homes in five years is judged “skinny” by Éric Fregona, deputy director of AD-PA (Association of Directors serving the Elderly) Friday March 18 on franceinfo. Rather, he recommends “300,000 more professionals” and the immediate recruitment of “two additional positions in each establishment and in each home service”. All “dysfunction because there are not enough means granted by the public authorities in this sector of activity”laments Eric Fregona.
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franceinfo: Does this recruitment, over five years, of 50,000 nurses and caregivers in nursing homes seem sufficient to you?
Eric Fregona: It seems meager to us since all the reports from the public authorities produced during Emmanuel Macron’s five-year term recommended double that, namely 100,000 additional jobs in establishments for the elderly and 100,000 more professionals for home services. . At AD-PA, we advocate 300,000 more professionals. Two additional positions are immediately and absolutely necessary in each establishment and in each home service to overcome the Orpea case. If we really want to take the measure of what happened, we must immediately recruit and it is good that the candidates [à l’élection présidentielle] seize it.
Are these professions attractive enough to attract young people in particular?
Not enough. Today, all French people are aware that in this sector of activity the working conditions are extremely harsh. Occupational diseases and accidents at work are constantly increasing, so this sector must be ventilated. Beyond the positions of caregivers and nurses that are necessary, this sector must be opened up and recruited immediately. We can recruit psychologists, facilitators, socio-cultural professionals.
“It is clear that today we do not sufficiently take into account the expectations of the elderly.”
Éric Fregona, Deputy Director of AD-PAat franceinfo
Their needs are one thing, but we have seen during the health crisis that their mental health and their aspirations are just as important.
Emmanuel Macron also wants to strengthen controls on private establishments. In your opinion, should these checks also be insisted upon?
Carrying out checks on establishments or home services that the ARS has targeted at risk or because there have been reports of serious adverse events is necessary and essential. That there are sanctions afterwards is also essential. On the other hand, the ministry’s response to say “we are going to expand controls and carry out controls in all establishments” is to discredit an entire profession. It’s not just the private sector, there are also seriously dysfunctional establishments in the public sector and in the voluntary sector, but not everyone is seriously dysfunctional. On the other hand, all the establishments and home services are dysfunctional because there are not enough means granted by the public authorities in this sector of activity.