Future of the inpatient sector at the Pôle Santé

As the year draws to a close, we would like to share with you the latest updates regarding the PSPE’s future project.

The fundraising campaign held last August for the reconstruction of the hospital building was a resounding success, raising CHF 4.4 million. As a reminder, this project was intended to meet the requirements of the ECA, which set a deadline of 31 December 2028 for bringing the building into compliance. Without major renovation or reconstruction works — estimated in both cases at a minimum of CHF 20 million — the authorisation to operate the building as a hospital would be withdrawn.

The canton had initially envisaged supporting the project through a decree contributing to the financing of the investment costs. This support, which was essential to maintaining hospital beds, was still subject to a decision following the raising of own funds.

In a recent letter, the canton informed us that it would ultimately be unable to provide this support, due to the deterioration of its financial situation.

This information fundamentally alters the framework of the project. Indeed, without financial participation from the canton in the investment, and in the absence of sufficient resources on our side, a reconstruction project for the building can no longer be envisaged. The ECA requirements will therefore not be met. This means that the current building will no longer be able to operate as a hospital from 1 January 2029.

In light of this situation, it is essential to look to the future and explore the opportunities available to us.

Our teams are already working on solutions to maintain, beyond 2028, a bed capacity at the Health Hub as well as a 24/7 emergency response. Several innovative avenues are being explored, favouring community health models rather than a traditional hospital structure. The constructive discussions currently under way with the cantonal authorities suggest the possibility of pilot projects in this area.

We are thus entering a phase of major transformation of our inpatient sector. The reflections have begun, and we will keep you informed of the first concrete elements in the coming months.

Please note that these adaptations concern only inpatient beds (acute care and rehabilitation). Outpatient consultations are not affected.

We warmly thank you for your trust and support during this challenging period and extend our best wishes for the festive season.

PSPE Foundation Board

11 December 2025