Unions and management agree in saying it: the financial aid promised by the Prime Minister when he came to Alsace on Friday December 10 is generous. However, Strasbourg university hospitals (HUS) remain extremely indebted and there are many projects to come to improve its situation.
More generous aid than expected
“We expected help, but maybe not at this height”, admits the secretary general of FO Christian Prud’homme. He particularly salutes the 20 million euros in exceptional aid granted to reduce the hospital’s deficit this year, which “will give us some air “ according to him.
The state will also take full charge of reconstruction of the child psychiatry center for more than 20 million euros. It will allow the aging site of Elsau to be transferred to the city center. “An absolute necessity”, according to Pierre Wach, the secretary general of the CGT.
As expected, the debt of the HUS (500 million euros) will also be taken over up to 40% by the State. Other “excellent news” according to Michaël Galy, the director: the State will participate in the financing of the renovation of the Hautepierre 1 site. A true cornerstone future hospital policy.
An abysmal debt to be absorbed
To reduce the more than 300 million remaining debts, the management put a lot on this new site at least five years ahead. It should make it possible to refocus several activities and to separate from certain buildings, which are little used, but whose charges still have to be paid. “One of the particularities of the HUS is that they are spread over several sites, sometimes little used and aging. This requires financial and logistical efforts. This centralization would make it possible to rationalize costs”, enlightens Michaël Galy.
The goal will also be in the future “to borrow less than what we reimburse”, he continues, to gradually reduce the debt over the next twenty years. In the meantime, his weight is enormous. 50 million euros per year, which roughly corresponds to the amount of the hospital’s annual deficit.
To reduce it, management plans to reduce staff in administrative positions. On a case-by-case basis, some retirements may not be replaced. “We have to make efforts everywhere, all these positions are useful, but with digitization and certain rationalizations, we will be able to save money.”
Come to the aid of caregivers
Michaël Galy, on the other hand, assures us: no post directly related to hospital beds will be abolished. For several months, the unions have been calling for a reinforcement of the workforce, to support a staff at the end of its rope. “We want to be able to treat properly, take the time and have a balance between personal and professional life”, testifies Christian Prud’homme. For him as for Pierre Wach, the sinews of war is also the attractiveness of positions. We must increase wages and improve working conditions, to prevent caregivers from leaving.
Nearly 150 people, including specialist nurses, are currently lacking at the HUS. Results : 9% of its ready-to-use beds are currently closed. And while part of the remuneration is done on a fee-for-service basis, these closed beds represent a loss of revenue for the hospital. Problem: beyond working conditions, hospitals are also struggling to recruit because of the lack of caregivers in the labor market. Blame it on the reduction in the number of students trained in medical school and nursing school.