SELVAZZANO – I three doctors simultaneously present the certificate from illness and the service of guard medica stay unguarded. The disservice concerned, for the whole day of Saturday, the district number 2 of Selvazzano of the Ulss 6 Euganea. Other offices of the social health company and the 118 switchboard were studded with phone calls. On the other end of the line, dozens of users remained deprived from support for any home and outpatient visits, or for clinical situations which, although not urgent, could not await the intervention of the family doctor today. A flurry of calls, after those that remained unanswered in Selvazzano, which created many difficulties for emergency response operators who found themselves trying to manage a service that does not belong to them. In short, a real chaos originating from an incredible series of concomitances.
THE SITUATION
The two doctors who were to take up service at the Piazzetta De ‘Claricini office had sent a certificate of illness. But so did the doctor who had to be available in case of the absence of one of his colleagues. As a result, the medical guard remained closed for the whole day. A decidedly serious mistake, considering that district number 2, one of the thirteen branch offices of the Ulss 6 Euganea, covers a very vast area: in addition to Selvazzano Dentro, it has jurisdiction over the municipalities of Abano, Montegrotto, Cervarese Santa Croce, Rovolon, Mestrino, Rubano, Saccolongo, Teolo, Torreglia and Veggiano. For a total of over 120 thousand residents who have not been guaranteed an essential service on weekends, when their general practitioner is not available.
Also yesterday there were several problems because those who were on duty did not show up, always presenting a certificate of illness. A situation that in the past had already occurred several times, always causing heavy inconvenience to patients. These cases had forced the health care company to face the emergency with the help of other doctors – although in those days they were not called to be on call – who had found themselves forced to work for over twenty-four hours. With inevitable negative repercussions on the operational capabilities of the entire staff and on the razor’s edge of the violation of the employment contract.
THE DIFFICULTY
“Unfortunately we found ourselves in great difficulty – admits the doctor Piero Realdon, district director number 2 -. On Saturday, apart from the phone calls, the medical guard of the district number 1 of Padua also answered ». But yesterday also had his pains. “I had to ask one of the two doctors who had covered the night shift to stay a few hours longer, while her colleague went to rest – explains Realdon -. And I myself went to help out, even though I haven’t been in this type of job for many years. In the end we were able to guarantee the service also thanks to the help of a third colleague who volunteered. I informed the management of Ulss 6 of what happened, but in cases like these it is certainly not possible to initiate a disciplinary measure. There is a medical certificate attesting to a pathology ».
Clarifications had already been requested, starting from Saturday evening after numerous reports, by the mayor of Piove di Sacco Davide Gianella, president of the committee of mayors of the former Usl 16 of Padua, and by his colleague from Abano Terme Federico Barbierato.