French emergency services face critical overcrowding and shortages

Emergency departments in France are facing severe operational strain. The CHU de Nîmes has activated its highest level of tension management plan due to an unusual surge in emergency room visits. To address the influx, the hospital is mobilizing additional beds, adapting scheduled activities, and coordinating with regional health partners to improve patient distribution. This surge occurs just before the start of the Nîmes feria, a period typically associated with increased emergency activity.

A broader investigation by the Samu-Urgences de France (SUdF) union highlights a critical situation across the country's emergency services. The report, based on feedback from 143 professionals across 80 departments, indicates that heatwaves and fires have exacerbated existing tensions. Key findings include:

- Significant increases in emergency calls, with some areas seeing rises of over 50% during heatwaves. - Severe bed shortages, with 43% of surveyed structures reporting at least 20 patients per day forced to spend the night on stretchers. - Extreme wait times, reaching 48 to 72 hours or more in many facilities. - Reported deaths occurring while patients were waiting on stretchers in 26 structures, a matter the union suggests requires investigation. - High indoor temperatures in facilities reaching up to 38 degrees Celsius.