Hospital

Why have thousands of hospital beds closed in France?

A new report shows that the number of full hospitalisation beds has dropped by more than 10% in 10 years

50 French hospitals hit by long patient delays or summer closures

The health minister has admitted ‘there are difficult situations to address’ as one health union claims four people have died while waiting for emergency care

Several emergency hospital services temporarily closed across France

A shortage of staff has caused closures or service restrictions in hospitals including centres in Dordogne, Provence, and Brittany

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Hundreds of hikers hit by stomach bug on Corsican GR20 trek

Seven people have been hospitalised and the cause is still being investigated

Rare case of Lassa fever, transmitted by rats, reported in France

The patient is a soldier who had recently returned from abroad. People who may be at risk through contact with him are being traced

Doctor raises alert on sepsis in France, which kills 80,000 a year

‘It is vital to inform people’, said the leading professor, who believes it is less well-known in France than in the UK or US

What are key health risks people in France face in next five years?

‘All of these risks exist. We don't know when they will happen, but we know they will happen’, says new expert health report

The 7 ways France plans to improve end-of-life care

Proposals include precise rules for the administration of assisted dying and palliative care

World first as heart stored for 12 hours before transplant in France

The organ was flown across the Atlantic in a specially-adapted fridge

CHART: How long does it take to get to hospital in rural France?

We also look at the time needed to get to a pharmacy and other health services when compared with averages for urban areas

Briton’s parachute fails in 140m French base jump - and he survives

A tree broke his fall and he was lucky enough to drop just as some French fishermen were nearby and could help

New vaccine recommended against shingles in France

France’s health authority is updating its strategy to fight against the painful condition, which affects around 230,000 people a year in the country

Long-term health patients fear reimbursement reforms in France

Millions of people, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s patients, are subject to a special scheme due to their serious health conditions

Hospitals: Strikes loom in France around Olympics over extra workload

Major union is concerned over conditions, bonus pay and childcare during Games

How does your local French hospital fare in official quality rankings?

The certification authority considered factors including coordination of care, risk prevention and pain management

Prescribed drug linked to 199 Covid deaths in France claims study

Hydroxychloroquine connected to 1% of all Covid deaths in hospitals in France in the first wave of the pandemic, say French researchers

Covid, flu, bronchiolitis: good and bad news in new data for France

Health authority Santé publique France is still tracking the three respiratory illnesses in its weekly updates

Two more French regions now at epidemic level for flu

Majority of departments are now at highest risk level but hospitals admissions are ‘low’

French firm’s special plaster made from sea worms saves burns victim

The wound-healing innovation was created due to scientist’s curiosity while gazing at a beach in Roscoff

‘No scar’: surgeon in France accused of just pretending to operate

The doctor denies the claims and said the allegations had ‘ruined the end of his career’

Covid, flu, bronchiolitis: overloaded French hospitals on ‘plan blanc’

The plan allows hospitals to reorganise and cancel non-urgent operations, and redirect resources to cope with the ‘triple epidemic’

Which French cities/areas have the best healthcare?

Areas with larger populations generally have better care and a wider variety of services

Rise in respiratory infections continues in France

Three more regions are now at ‘pre-epidemic’ stage for flu and wastewater samples are showing a 24% rise in the presence of the Covid virus

French woman hospitalised after boar charges at her as she gardens

The pensioner now has plaster over half of her body

France’s first larynx transplant: Woman talks after 23 years’ silence

The transplant is the first of its kind in France, in an operation that lasted 27 hours and took a team of 12 surgeons from across the country

Identity theft victim signed up for euthanasia by imposter in France

The crime is being described as an ‘assassination attempt’ by the man’s lawyers

French hospitals embrace hypnosis for pain relief during treatments

Doctors and nurses are being trained to use hypnosis alongside conventional medicine

How does hospital and other medical transport work in France?

Some costs can be partially – or fully – covered by social security, though in some cases you will need a prescription

What girls’ and boys’ names are trending for babies in France?

Short and retro names are popular as are regional and mediaeval names

Will facemasks return to hospitals across France amid Covid rise?

Following the reintroduction of masks in two hospitals in the south west, questions are being asked about whether others will follow suit

Growing strain on hospital emergency units in France, some closures

Tourist areas are under particular pressure. There are also increased strikes among emergency call responders

Covid ‘rebound’ in France: Which areas, and are doctors worried?

As cases of Covid and related hospital admissions are increasing due to the new variant Eris, we look at where cases are highest and if medics are concerned about an ‘epidemic reprisal’.

How do I complain about bad healthcare treatment in France?

Learn about the various avenues available for making an official complaint for treatment at a French hospital

‘Therapy’ dogs long overdue in France

A Connexion reader shares her experience of therapy dogs in the UK

Map: Where in France is there most violence against healthcare staff?

Violence and aggression towards healthcare workers rose by 23% last year, a new report shows

Rescue dog trained to soothe cancer patients at top Paris hospital

It is hoped ‘Snoopy’ will support anxious patients, especially children. He is part of a two-year project looking into how dogs could be a help in hospitals

How a new law is causing problems at France’s under-pressure hospitals

Hospitals have been forced to close beds and services after a new law capped the salary of locum staff

The rising controversy of French hospitals charging for parking

Some hospital parking charges have been called ‘intolerable’. France’s health minister said the problem is ‘not a priority’ compared to helping people get care

Anger after man, 91, dies after waiting three days at French hospital

The man’s death is the third similar case for Grenoble CHU in the past five months

Do you need to take your own towels for a hospital stay in France?

The items and services offered by French hospitals can vary - we look at the basics

Why French healthcare staff without a Covid jab could return to work

Unvaccinated workers have been barred from doing their jobs since September 2021

Protests to put dozens of French hospitals at risk of partial closure

Locum healthcare workers plan walkouts over proposed changes to pay

French hospital inundated with 80 - 100 ski accidents a day

The situation has been blamed on mild temperatures causing more ‘slushy’ snow and a rise in slope visitors

French woman bitten after accidentally knocking spider into her ear

The woman’s daughter told her she had a spider on her cheek but in brushing it off she pushed it near her ear and it crawled into her ear canal

‘Make patients in France part of the team to save money and lives’

We speak to a surgeon about how he is trying to overhaul the patient experience in French hospitals

French healthcare workers reject Macron’s plans to reform the system

Unions say the proposals do not go far enough and are calling for urgent improvements to patient-staff ratios

What are the costs of hospital stays in France?

Various different fees are charged for hospital stays but these should largely be covered, especially if you have a good mutuelle insurance policy

Covid, flu, bronchiolitis: What is the current situation in France?

France’s health ministry has said that the current ‘triple epidemic’ is ‘unprecedented’

French hospitals find fun way to ease children's operation stress

Doctors say transporting children to the operating room in small electric cars takes their minds off what they are going through

France trials triaging emergency 15 calls to assess if doctor attends

Less serious cases are to be seen by district nurses or urged to go to their GP - we look at why the emergency service is changing

‘Eighth wave of Covid imminent in France’ says health ministry

Cases have risen 55.5% over the past seven days, figures show, with the incidence level rising especially quickly among children aged 10 and under

French emergency services: Why it is now harder to reach 15 number

And the options you have if you have difficulty getting through

Hospital ratings: website lets patients compare French health centres

The online tool grades quality and safety of care so patients can identify the best facilities, but a nursing union has concerns

Is Covid health pass still needed for hospital appointment in France?

France’s Covid infection control rules changed recently. We look at what it means for visits to health and care settings

Heatwave shows a ‘rickety’ French emergency health service in crisis

Columnist Nabila Ramdani shares her view on the heatwave heroes and hospitals buckling under pressure

Covid France: seventh wave ebbs but public urged to remain cautious

Hospitalisations are also falling slowly, but in some regions critical care admissions continue to increase. Eligible groups are encouraged to get their second booster

‘Dangerous conditions’ in 127 hospitals and emergency units in France

The heat, rising Covid cases and staff shortages are causing some personnel to fear that hospitals are ‘heading for catastrophe’

Covid deaths in France surpass 150,000, hospitalisations on rise again

A seventh wave is currently spreading around the country

Patients’ group outlines solutions to A&E crisis at French hospitals

Reinstating out-of-hours GPs is key, it claims, saying the government must act now

France announces ‘first measures’ to tackle hospital staff shortages

Student nurses will be allowed to begin work before they get their diplomas and extra hours will receive double-time pay, the health minister has announced

French hospital workers strike over ‘disastrous’ staff shortages

Unions have denounced a ‘desperately ill-treated’ hospital system which could soon result in unnecessary deaths

Sarlat, Jonzac: Hospitals in France where situation is ‘very worrying’

A lack of staff is causing major problems in smaller hospitals across the country

Donations from open garden scheme fund gardens in 60 French hospitals

Keen amateur gardeners open up their own creations to raise money for the projects, which are developed by the Jardins et Santé charity

‘New Covid wave’ in France, says leading professor

Daily cases are rising, a professor and expert epidemiologist has warned, due to new sub-variants BA4 and BA5 – but it is too soon to ascertain their impact

Hospital shortages in France: Macron rules out unvaccinated workers

The president is not in favour of bringing back these workers to help with staff shortages, despite one leading doctor calling for ‘an amnesty’

French health minister announces 1,000 extra ICU hospital beds

A new critical care plan also states the need to improve facilities in the Brittany and Pays-de-Loire regions, which are said to lag behind the rest of the country

French vaccine pass and Covid mask rules to be removed from March 14

Health pass requirements will remain in certain settings, and masks must still be worn on public transport and in medical and care establishments

Flu epidemic intensifies in south-east, Ile-de-France and Brittany

Hospitalisations were up 31% last week, as France’s public health authority reported that vaccination coverage amid priority groups appears to be insufficient

Fourth patient escapes psychiatric hospital in Toulouse in 10 days

It makes three escapes from one hospital - including a known cannibal and murderer - and one from another in the city. The latest patient to flee is a known rapist

‘Should unvaccinated pay for care?’ asks head of Paris hospital group

The hospital boss raised the ‘delicate’ question about ‘consequences for not taking a free preventative measure’ yesterday, prompting backlash from some politicians

Omicron on decline in France? Numbers in intensive care drop slowly

Admissions to critical and intensive care units and new cases of the virus continue to decline, as authorities continue to closely monitor the new strain of Omicron

Medics write song for French boy, 11, waiting for heart transplant

Healthcare workers at the Bordeaux hospital aim to raise awareness of the need for child organ donors

False passes, Covid cases, hospitalisations: Latest figures for France

Five per cent of hospitalised Covid patients have been using fake health passes and are not actually vaccinated, says health minister

Covid France: Latest on Omicron, hospitals and a possible fourth dose

Health minister gives updates on pressure on hospital beds, case numbers and the difference between the variants. We summarise

Encouraging news from British rugby player James Lasis injured in Nice

Sportsman sends upbeat message to his French rugby ‘family’ from his hospital bed following three months of intensive rehabilitation treatment in the UK