Le Havre: The HPE geriatrics department will close within two months

The announcement of the dissolution took place Wednesday June 26, 2024. The geriatric medicine department of the Estuaire private hospital, in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), must close within two months.

A nurse and a nursing assistant from the geriatric medicine department are sounding the alarm this Friday June 28, 2024ensuring that he speaks on behalf of their team.

Staff notified 48 hours before dissolution announcement

“On Monday, we all received an email asking us to come to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss possible developments in our department. And then we got the announcement from management,” the two caregivers say, in unison. “We thought they were going to eventually reduce staff because of recruitment difficulties for some time…”

As it was presented to them, the service must disappear for reasons of “expansion of outpatient surgery activity », “to the detriment of the geriatric medicine service”.

“They talked about an important activity in medicine (in general) compared to surgery and they wanted to reverse the trend. They did not directly use the word ‘profitability‘. But for us, they have favored surgical activity, which brings in more money. This is also the logic of financing the health system (of fee-for-service, Editor’s note). They also spoke to us about thedebt of the establishment, it’s a word that comes up often. Last year, they made less profit and the gap is widening. »

A geriatric medicine service in high demand

Opened eight years ago, “it is a service [de gériatrie] which is always full all year round,” the two young women lament.

On the contrary, this bed serviceintended to take care of pathologies linked to aging, “is called upon daily”, whether to welcome patients coming from the emergency rooms of Monod hospital or other public and private establishments in the Le Havre region, to unclog beds , by city doctors to hospitalize patients whose state of health does not allow them to stay at home.

“It’s very difficult to swallow.”

Currently, the service is made up of ten nurses, eleven nursing assistants and three salaried doctors. The hospital, belonging to the Ramsay group, plans to redirect them to other vacant positions in the clinic or group, “knowing that there will not be room for everyone,” they say. We asked the question to HR, we wanted a clear answer. »

“With our contract, we can either work at the HPE or at the clinic of the Petit Colmoulin in Harfleur, specify the two staff members. To date (Friday June 28, Editor’s note), we still do not have a list of vacancies. »

But under what conditions? “Currently, we are lucky to have landlines, we are affiliated to our position, whereas in future proposals, we will be required to fill gaps within the various services. Multi-skilled nurses have weekly or monthly schedules. We are unable to plan ahead.”

The short delay leaves the service helpless. “It’s very complicated to swallow,” confides the young women. In the service, we are all devastated. We have all taken our vacation, and when we come back, we will no longer have a job? It’s a shame. And above all, the decision is not logical in relation to the evolution of society and the aging of the population. We welcome many dementia patients, at the end of their lives, who require specific care. »

Contacted, management did not wish to provide any comment at this time.

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