Dreaded hospital bed cuts |

A mobilization took place this Thursday, October 21, in front of the Saint-Vallier hospital (Drôme Nord hospitals). A rally that followed the announcement of an upcoming closure of beds in January 2022 due to lack of doctors. It is the physical medicine and rehabilitation service (MPR) that is concerned. 45 beds are threatened, which raises fears of endangering patients, according to union representatives. This closure of beds would also lead to the loss of 30 jobs within Drôme Nord hospitals.

One doctor for 60 beds, impossible equation

“We had four doctors until a few weeks ago and we could end up with only one doctor in January in this MPR service”, indicates the director of Drôme Nord hospitals, Vincent Pegeot. One doctor for 60 hospital beds… An impossible equation! However, alternative solutions are being studied. “To limit this bed closure as much as possible”, indicates the director: recruitment of replacements, solidarity with other structures in the territory, including private ones, etc. An additional doctor would, for example, make it possible to limit the closure to 30 beds.

The breakage of the Public Hospital, it continues!
Direction des Hôpitaux Drôme Nord: Closure of 45 rehabilitation beds in Saint Vallier – Sign the petition! https://t.co/CBFyfXjJYS via @ChangeFrance

– Eglantine (@ Eglantine_8936) October 21, 2021

Limited post-operative care

Faced with this situation, this morning, the union representatives had therefore called for mobilization. The objective: to alert the population of this loss of health services, but also alerting the State to this chronic lack of doctors in Saint-Vallier and throughout France.

“It’s always worrying because it’s easier to close beds than to reopen them”, indicates Isabelle Crozelon, caregiver in Saint-Vallier and CFDT representative. At his side, Stéphanie Baracant, CGT representative is also worried about the care of patients: “This service takes care of post-covid and post-resuscitation patients, people who have had strokes, etc. And we will find them at home very quickly with not necessarily the autonomy they should have to return home ”. Because in other departments, she recalls, “We are asking to keep patients as short as possible and to turn the beds”.

Towards a disappearance from the hospital?

“For 10 years the unions have been warning about the lack of doctors ”, is annoyed Isabelle Crozelon. “Numerus clausus created this and the state did nothing to remedy it.”Also in question, the lack of attractiveness of the public hospital. In Saint-Vallier, this is reflected in the gradual reduction of available services.“The Vallier hospital has seen a decrease year after year” indicates Stéphanie Baracant. Psychiatry, moved to Montéléger, the closing of night emergencies, among others … A fear of the permanent closure of the site is rampant among the staff.

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