“Let’s not wait for disasters to occur in our maternities”

Lperinatal health professionals (midwives, nurses, obstetrician-gynecologists, childcare assistants, paediatricians) are extremely concerned about the risk that staff shortages pose to pregnant women, mothers and their children. Today, and after having repeatedly alerted our supervisory authorities in recent years, we, department heads and members of the management of Ile-de-France maternity hospitals, university and non-university maternity hospitals participating in the public service , want to warn about this extremely worrying situation.

For years, perinatal care has suffered from the organizations and working conditions imposed by supervision far from the field. The emergency activity which constitutes an important part of this medicine is not recognized as such and the staff clogs, as much as they can, under the eye of our supervisory authorities who know but do not offer anything decisive. Now, the boat is sinking and still no effective proposal is made to us to try to avoid sinking.

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Indeed, the situation continues to worsen and the nursing staff flees these working conditions. Those who remain see their working conditions become even harsher, the vicious circle has begun… Despite our regular alerts to the Ile-de-France regional health agency and the ministry, these do not seem to take the extent of the seriousness of the situation and the urgency.

Rethinking the model of our maternities

Most maternity units in Ile-de-France that participate in the public service experience these shortages despite the support often provided by hospital management. In some maternities, up to 30% of midwifery positions are currently vacant. Maternities are obliged to limit certain consultation activities, for lack of professionals. Neonatal units have had to close for lack of pediatricians. The call schedules are not filled and probably cannot be filled. The forecasts for the coming months are alarming. In addition to the usual bed closures, entire hospital units are at risk of closing with the reduction in the supply of care that goes with it. How to maintain the quality of care when the workforce is reduced to such an extent? How can we imagine, in such a situation, that this has no impact on the safety of mothers and children? What can health professionals do when there are no longer enough of them to support the labor of a pregnant woman? What to say to parents when the birth of a child born prematurely cannot be organized in a maternity unit equipped with a neonatology unit due to bed closures?

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