The financial situation of nursing homes continues to deteriorate, warns the French Hospital Federation (FHF). Establishments are in the red and must recruit.
The financial situation of nursing homes continues to worsen, warns the French Hospital Federation (FHF) in a study published Thursday, calling on the authorities to increase all prices by 5%, in order to recruit.
“Despite activity which continues to progress, public nursing homes are faced with a massive, rapid and profound deterioration in their budgetary balances”underlines in a press release the federation which brings together public hospitals and medico-social establishments.
An observation based on a survey carried out in February and March in more than 730 public sector nursing homes, with more than 100,000 permanent beds.
An “alarming record figure”
Its conclusions are eloquent: nearly 85% of public nursing homes recorded a deficit for the 2023 financial year, a gap which is widening and reaching €800 million (+42% in one year), a “alarming record figure”. Five years ago, only 42% of establishments were in the red.
Another sign of the deterioration of the situation, a third of public establishments admit to having encountered cash flow difficulties last year, 30% even had to postpone the payment of certain charges. Many of them were also forced to request emergency assistance from the Regional Health Agency (ARS) to keep their heads above water.
“It’s urgent”
The increase in the cost of living (food, energy, water, medicines, insurance, laundry, salaries) explains, for many, these difficulties, with charges which have exploded by 21% over three years, where the price of rooms for residents increased by an average of 4%.
Nursing homes are also suffering the consequences of the Orpea scandal. The cases of mistreatment and embezzlement revealed, on January 26, 2022, by the book Les Fossoyeurs, from the pen of journalist Victor Castanet, shed harsh light on this private group since renamed Emeis and passed, on December 19, 2023, under the control of the Caisse des Dépôts.
Inflation and the Orpea scandal
These revelations also shook the entire sector, creating a crisis of confidence in establishments at the same time “strangled” by inflation, to the point of finding themselves today in a “critical situation”, according to the FHF.
Today, it therefore asks the State “a 5% increase in the care package for nursing homes”, financed by Social Security, the “dependency” package from the departmental councils, as well as the “accommodation” rates paid by residents. However, prices are often already high.
But “It’s urgent” to face the “unprecedented demographic wave of old age”underlines the French Hospital Federation.
To achieve the government commitment of 50,000 additional positions by 2030, she emphasizes, 6,000 annual recruitments are necessary in nursing homes. Here too, money will be needed to finance them.
