The head of radiology at Villefranche-de-Rouergue hospital in southern France is leaving at the end of August after management terminated his contract, triggering a wave of alarm among staff, local officials, and residents about the future of the facility.
Dr. Benkhaled, who also served as president of the hospital’s medical commission, will leave after the hospital’s governing board cancelled his contract. Interim director Pierre Aury said in a statement that the contract with the freelance radiologist had been terminated in late June because its terms did not comply with regulations and had caused considerable financial harm to the institution since 2012. Aury added that previous proposals to regularise the contract had been rejected, and that the decision was taken in consultation with and following approval from the regional supervisory authority.
A community defence collective, previously active in 2022 when the hospital announced the closure of 171 beds, has re-mobilised in response. Led in part by former mayor Serge Roques, the collective described the departure as a serious blow, noting it came against a backdrop of a national shortage of radiologists. The collective also pointed out that weeks earlier, the hospital’s busiest surgeon had left for three months of leave following a dispute with management.
Members of the collective questioned why a contract described as disadvantageous had been allowed to run for so long. They noted that three successive directors had kept it in place since 2012, and questioned whether an interim director had the authority to make such a consequential decision. They argued that a public hospital is not designed to turn a profit and that retaining doctors requires flexibility on pay.
Management promises continuity
Aury sought to reassure the public, stating that the hospital is working on a new structure for its medical imaging service and is in contact with new radiologist practitioners. He said the hospital is also coordinating with the Rodez hospital centre, particularly its cardiology department, to maintain and strengthen cardiac imaging services for the local population. He said a full announcement of the new arrangements would come in late August or early September.
The collective was sceptical. They said that given the shortage of radiologists nationally, and the fact that the departing doctor was widely respected and ran a service with an excellent reputation, promises of swift replacements were not credible. They warned that a drop in activity could weaken the institution further and raised fears that the hospital could eventually be absorbed into the Rodez hospital centre.
Wider concerns for the town
Hospital staff in the radiology department are reported to be deeply worried. Separately, other departures are also expected, adding to a climate of anxiety across the hospital’s services.
For the town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, the stakes are high. The hospital is described as the last viable healthcare provider in the area, with shortages of general practitioners and an absence of specialists already affecting the town’s appeal. As the largest employer in the area, any reduction in hospital activity could also mean a reduction in staff.
A petition calling for mediation between management and the collective had gathered nearly 700 signatures by 31 July.