The Toulouse university hospital center (CHU) joins the list of establishments whose emergencies operate in degraded mode. Adult emergencies at Purpan Hospital will only be open to “vital emergencies” from Monday evening June 13, the CHU announced on Sunday.
“Due to a massive coordinated strike within the emergency department, the Toulouse University Hospital is adapting the activity of the emergency department and its medical and surgical services to ensure its public health mission and patient safety”, communicated the hospital. The hospital invites patients who do not require treatment ” urgent “ by the SAMU to contact private health establishments, their attending physician or the nearest on-call medical center, from Monday 6 p.m.
According to the hospital unions, the management of the CHU has also asked the regional health agency (ARS) of Occitanie for the implementation of a white plan. The information was confirmed by the hospital at Toulouse newsmanagement explaining that “strong tensions are looming in the emergency care workforce” and “the six other emergency services in the agglomeration are not able to [lui] to provide long-term assistance and to absorb the emergencies of the CHU”.
“Unacceptable conditions”
Monday’s strike day, called in particular by the majority union CGT (General Confederation of Labour), is organized less than a week after a strong mobilization of unions and hospital collectives throughout France to demand increases in salaries and staff.
“The contempt continues towards emergency personnel. The claims, however simple and common sense, of the agents are still brutally refused by the management”explained the CGT in a press release, calling for a “all out strike”. “In the emergency room, we work in unacceptable conditions, with a single nurse-caregiver pair for 25, sometimes even 40 patients”said Julien Terrié, a CGT union representative, to Agence France-Presse, pointing to a “patient endangerment”.
The union representatives of the psychiatric emergencies of Purpan have also announced that they are joining the strike. “to denounce the conditions of reception of patients (…) which have been deteriorating dangerously for several years”.
“For lack of space in the hospital units, we are currently forced to accommodate patients for several nights in a consultation service, in deplorable conditions”, without a water point or toilet, they say in a press release. They also warn against a climate of” insecure “ oh be you service, “both for patients and caregivers”.
According to the SUDF union (SAMU-Urgences de France), 120 emergency services are forced, for lack of personnel, to reduce their activity or are preparing for it. Among them, a few large establishments, such as those in Bordeaux, Grenoble or Orleans.