"We don't just fire patients like that": Saint-Zacharie health center placed in receivership

The Saint-Zacharie health center has been dealt a devastating blow. On Wednesday, August 6, at noon, the Marseille Economic Activities Court handed down a court decision: the Provence "Mother and Children" Health Center is being placed in receivership, resulting in its immediate closure. Provence Santé Plurielle, the managing association, had already been in receivership since the end of April.

The cause: the company that handles the center's administration—alongside the association that manages the medical side—allegedly never paid its URSSAF contributions. A total of around €700,000 in debt, according to the association's president, Nicolas Mattioli. The establishment blames the financial director, who has since been unreachable, according to the center's director.

"You don't fire patients like that."

Within twenty minutes of the court's decision, Nicole Gianelli received an email forcing her to immediately shut down the center she runs. " The emergency room doctor was stitching, so I called to explain that we couldn't just fire patients like that ," the director pleaded. Ultimately, the facility closed in the afternoon, and all scheduled appointments were canceled.

As she tells the story, her green eyes fill with tears. She doesn't understand this decision. " Where are people going to go now? " she protests. Because the business was doing well. The Provence Health Center opened its doors in 2023, and provided a solution to the problem of medical deserts in the department: " Every day, we received more than a hundred patients from all the surrounding towns. Even my primary care physician is here ," insists Nicole Gianneli.

Nine professionals worked there, including a pediatrician, gynecologists, a cardiologist, and a pulmonologist. " A child is being monitored for chemotherapy, a woman had an appointment with the gynecologist following poor results, another patient is being monitored for asthma ," she emphasizes. Nicolas Mattioli adds: " We're not a shoe store, we can't just lock the door. We're talking about people's lives and health ," he laments.

They would have liked more time to bounce back, with a closure at the end of the summer. Especially since a buyer, who already operates nursing homes, is interested in continuing the center's operations and would be willing to keep the staff. Despite the compulsory liquidation, the offer is still standing. But according to the liquidator, takeover bids will not be considered until September.

The feeling of having been left alone

The center also regrets a lack of support from the city hall. " Since the decision, we haven't received a single phone call from the mayor. He had agreed to help us, particularly with July salaries ," explains Nicolas Mattioli. Mayor Jean-Jacques Coulomb denies such a proposal: " We can't do that. How do I do it? It's public money. I don't even know if it would be legal ," he argues. " We're trying to do everything possible to ensure the center doesn't close, but within the law, " adds Claude Inès, deputy delegate for security.

Furthermore, the town hall, which owns the premises, claims to have been unaware of the center's difficulties. " The rents were always paid on time, there was no reason to worry, " explains Claude Fabre, first deputy mayor. But according to the establishment, the municipality did not receive any rent payments between June and November 2024. In total, the Brignoles public finance center was demanding €9,675. With the management company turning a deaf ear, the association drew on its cash flow to repay these debts.

Despite these disagreements, everyone is waiting for the same thing: the reopening of the center, hopefully " by the end of 2025 ," the mayor hopes. Until then, doctors and center staff are facing redundancy, pending a possible takeover of the facility.