French healthcare workforce and capacity reforms

In July 2026, reports noted that French hospitals had closed 2,300 beds in 2024 as part of a shift toward expanded home‑care services, signaling a move away from inpatient care. In early August 2026, the Ministry of Health confirmed a 15 % increase in medical‑intern positions for the 2026 intake, bringing the total to 10,260 posts. The increase, a concrete effect of the 2019 abolition of the numerus clausus, targets specialties under pressure, with slots rising by 25 % in dermatology, 20 % in paediatrics, 20 % in obstetrics‑gynecology and nearly 20 % in emergency medicine. Primary‑care training receives the largest share, 4,070 positions (40 % of the total). Regional allocations were also boosted, notably 18 % in Centre‑Val de Loire, 15.7 % in Nouvelle‑Aquitaine and 14.7 % in Hauts‑de‑France, where access gaps persist. Interns, who make up roughly 40 % of hospital medical staff, are expected to ease workloads and improve service delivery across French hospitals, continuing the broader reform of the health‑care workforce and service model.