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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
The Court of Auditors looked into the quality and safety of the provision of care in maternity hospitals in France. She points to “significant perinatal risks”, “strong social inequalities” and calls for studying the future of small maternity hospitals “on a case-by-case basis”.
In a report dated May 6, the magistrates of the Court of Auditors took an interest in perinatal health in France. Their report points to a situation which “does not meet the requirements for optimal safety or efficiency in the organization of healthcare provision“.
A questioning of the sector by the magistrates
In this report, the magistrates mention the “mediocre health results” of France, and draw parallels with the difficulties encountered by establishments “to attract and retain qualified personnel“.
The Court of Auditors questions “the efficiency of the allocated resources“.”While the resources devoted to perinatal policy are ever greater (9.3 billion euros in 2021, up 9% compared to 2016) and the birth rate is falling (-5.6% over the same period )”, perinatal risks are still “significant” according to her.
Small maternity wards still singled out
In detail, the report points to an organization and technical functioning of maternity wards, “unchanged for twenty-five years”. Furthermore, around twenty maternity wards would not reach the minimum threshold of 300 annual deliveries.
According to the magistrates, this also affects the sustainability of staff in these structures. “The growing difficulties of maternity hospitals providing less than 1,000 childbirth annual reports to attract and retain qualified personnel call for a case-by-case analysis of the conditions for carrying out their missions” they write.
Dr Kierzek: “We must stop eliminating small maternity wards”
Asked about this question, Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo, denounces on the contrary the closures of small maternity wards. “We must stop eliminating these maternity wards and further strengthen the territorial network by maintaining them and ensuring good safety conditions for all the women who will give birth there.” insists the doctor.
“They will always give birth safer in these maternity wards than in the fire truck, in an ambulance or in their car!” he recalls.
Regarding health professionals who struggle to stay in these structures, Dr. Gérald Kierzek once again puts forward a solution. “We could offer a professional project to these caregivers; for example, spend ten months a year serving these maternity wards and train for two months a year in level 3 maternity wards, to keep good reflexes and vary your activity. For the doctor, it is necessary “stop centralizing everything and instead work on a project to reorganize the territory, in terms of health.”