Trade union warns against worsening situation in emergency services in France

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – The situation in emergency services in French hospitals worsened in the summer of 2023, a report revealed on Wednesday.

The trade union SAMU-Urgences de France conducted an investigation with the help of 386 physicians regarding 40% of the 680 emergency units in the country.

The probe showed that 163 emergency units had to close at least once between July and August due to a lack of healthcare staff, and 43% of them closed at least 10 times, according to the union's report.

Over half of the emergency units – some 54% or 147 units – had to implement measures to manage the patient flow.

The trade union urged the authorities to recognize the healthcare work's hardship and give its value in terms of salary.

It also called for regulating the patients' access to medical services to prevent misuse.

The Mobile Emergency and Resuscitation Service teams, which consist of a doctor, nurse, and ambulance driver each, also struggled this summer. Some 70% of them could not deliver continuous service, according to the report.

The French Hospital Federation announced on Tuesday that the situation in the emergency units deteriorated in 41% of the medical centers compared to 2022, and access to hospital beds worsened in 52% of them, broadcaster France Bleu reported.

Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau told broadcaster France 2 on Tuesday that out of 680 emergency units in France, only five of them were shut down entirely this summer, and 40 of them were closed temporarily.