REPORTAGE
At the Longué-Jumelles hospital, the 80 or so officials are worried. Over-indebted, the establishment of this commune of Maine-et-Loire could be bought by a private group managing sixty Ehpad, "The Noble Age". A perspective that frightens employees, they fear including a rise in rates for patients and the loss of their status as official.
"I'm really scared," says Corinne, a health care aide for 20 years, at the microphone of Europe 1. "We do not know under which conditions we will be taken back, if they will keep our statutes of officials". And to add: "a private establishment with the official inside, I do not know how it can work".
"A lot of people are panicking"
Another worry caused by this possible privatization that would be unprecedented in France: an increase in rates for residents. "We are at 62 euros per day, it could go up to 67 or more if it was privatized.Many people panic and think about researcher elsewhere", explains to Europe 1 Nathalie Harrault, delegate CGT, before ask: "where are these people going?"
On the side of the town hall, privatization remains the best solution to resolve the situation of the hospital. "In the current context, the issue is no longer public, it is private," says Europe 1 Mayor without label Frédéric Mortier. "We are going to find doctors because they will be private and we will be able to pick them up, which we have more today with the public hospital". "We are very much today going to look after us in private clinics, and I do not think that the service is less well rendered," added the elected.
"Modernizing the hospital is not giving it to the private sector"
Explanations that do not convince Frédéric Valletoux, President of the Hospital Federation of France. "I fully understand the concerns," he reacts to the microphone of Matthieu Belliard, in the morning of Europe 1. According to him, "transforming a public service and entrusting it to a private operator is inept", and is a conception of the supply of health "contrary to what the government displays as a desire to modernize the public hospital". And to conclude: "modernizing the hospital is not giving it to the private sector".
For the Longué-Jumelles hospital, the situation should soon be settled. The ARS will decide at the end of the month between "The Noble Age" and the other candidate for the resumption, the University Hospital of Angers.