Hospital Bed Numbers Drop Across France While Public Facilities Expand
France lost 2,000 full-time hospital beds in 2025, bringing the national total down to 365,100, according to data published on October 28, 2026, by the Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees), the statistical service of the French social ministries. The 0.6% decline matches the pace set in 2024 but represents a more moderate drop than the 1.2% reduction recorded in 2023 and the 1.8% decrease seen in 2022.
Private Sector Reductions Contrast with Public Hospital Growth
The overall decrease in full-time inpatient capacity stems primarily from short-stay and psychiatric units. Across all medical disciplines, the reduction in full-time beds is exclusively attributable to the private sector, which lost 1,700 beds in for-profit clinics and 500 beds in non-profit facilities.
In a departure from long-term trends, public hospitals added 200 beds in 2025. This marks the first increase in public hospital inpatient capacity since 2013, when statistical record-keeping began, according to the Drees.
Between the end of 2013 and the end of 2025, cumulative losses across all facilities reached 47,700 full-time hospital beds, representing an 11.6% reduction over twelve years. The Drees stated that this long-term trend reflects the ongoing reorganization of hospital care under a national shift toward outpatient treatment supported by public authorities.
While full-time inpatient beds declined, the total number of partial hospitalization places—which accommodate multiple patients per day without overnight stays—grew by 3.5%. This addition of 3,200 spaces brought the national total to 94,200 places, following increases of 2.9% in 2024 and 3.7% in 2023.
Private clinics led the expansion of partial hospitalization capacity in 2025 with 1,500 new places, followed by public hospitals with 1,300 places and non-profit facilities with 400 places.
At the same time, home hospitalization (HAD) grew by 5.6% in 2025, following a 5.5% increase in the previous year. By the end of 2025, home care programs maintained a simultaneous capacity of 26,900 patients nationwide.
National Healthcare Infrastructure and Maternity Capacities
At the close of 2025, the French healthcare system comprised 1,328 public hospitals, 649 private non-profit health facilities, and 980 private for-profit clinics.
Specialized obstetric and neonatal facilities experienced varying adjustments. Across 445 maternity units, the country maintained 13,500 obstetrics beds, reflecting a 2.5% decline over the year. Neonatology capacities dropped by 1.0% to 2,800 beds, while intensive care beds increased by 3.7% to 1,200. Neonatal intensive care units accounted for nearly 770 beds.
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