INTERVIEW
For this Valentine's Day, a watchword: declare your flame at the public hospital. Hospital staff are again on the street Friday, three months after the government's emergency plan to try to respond to their anger. Renaud Péquignot, head of the geriatrics department of the hospitals of Saint-Maurice and president of the Intersyndical "hospital future", will also be mobilized. "Our poor public hospital, which everyone loves, has been attacked powerfully by this government for too long. We are on the brink of rupture, we really have to do something," he said on Europe 1 on Friday.
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Insufficient premiums
He calls on users to join the processions to support their public hospital. Three months after the government measures, anger is still raging. Premium, debt recovery ... The measures did not convince. "Regarding the recovery of hospital debt, everyone is borrowing at 0% now so it is an effort that did not cost the State much. The problem with the hospital today is that we can no longer hire caregivers. It’s been ten years since all salaries for doctors and nurses have been frozen. They are so unattractive that we are more able to recruit new agents, and those who were at the eventually run away. "
The premiums granted to the carers of Paris and its small crown are insufficient for the head of service. "80 euros is not enough. We have blocked our wages for ten years, that's 20% of inflation that have been lost."
Misuse of public money
The Minister of Health had announced a revaluation of hospital tariffs. Health Insurance will therefore pay more money to the hospital for each procedure performed. "We are told a 0.6% revaluation of tariffs: what do you want us to do with that? It just means that we will lose 0.6% less compared to inflation."
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According to Renaud Péquignot, there are two types of misuse of public money that weakens the hospital. "France has the unenviable second place in the world behind the United States in spending on health administration. On the other hand, budgetary restrictions are expensive. Blocking wages means that there is no one left, we need to hire temporary workers who are paid in a few guards, which we receive in a month of work. If we are told that it is to save money, it is stupid, "he said at first.
"So are the restrictions on the installation of equipment. The most typical emblem is MRI. These are machines installed for examinations, and otherwise, like in my hospital, we have to send our patients in the private sector by chartering ambulances. And that is to save money? ", laments the head of service.
Doctors threaten to resign
He is one of 1,500 doctors who have threatened to resign if the demands are not met. It has not yet taken action and is awaiting the end of negotiations. "If within two weeks we have nothing, maybe I will resign from my duties," he warns. "It's a general movement. In many places the administrative staff are on the street with us. For the directors it is difficult, they have to recruit temporary workers or contract workers at illegal rates, but that's it or leave it die patients. We walk on our heads. "