Inspector flags severe shortcomings in psychiatric emergency care across Île-de-France hospitals

A government audit of psychiatric emergency units in Île-de-France revealed grave dysfunctions, such as patients being confined on stretchers for extended periods, forced to sleep on corridor floors, and held without legal justification. The inspection, carried out at major facilities like the Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris sites and the Sainte-Anne hospital, highlighted a mismatch between rising demand and the limited number of psychiatric beds.

Statistics show a sharp increase in prolonged waits, with average durations surpassing 39 hours in the latest quarter. In some units, a daily queue of about ten patients was reported, with a peak of 27, and a portion of those remaining for up to ten days. The report also notes illegal isolation measures, inadequate hygiene, and the placement of minors alongside adults due to a shortage of child psychiatrists, urging immediate organizational and staffing reforms.