“A cry of pain is rising from the entire regional health sector, which is asking for quick solutions”. This was stated by the president of the Order of Doctors of Udine, Gian Luigi Tiberiusfor which the problems of Friulian health care do not concern only emergencies.
“It is not possible to cover all the shifts of the medical emergency – says Tiberio – and in the same hospitals there is a lack of staff in all departments, not just in the emergency room. Many doctors and nurses are on the run due to the incessant rhythms and an ever-changing bureaucracy more suffocating”. And then there is the question of pay. “Many run away from here – continues Tiberio – attracted from other regions or from abroad where salaries are higher”.
As regards the coverage of shifts with token doctors, the president of the Order speaks of a fallback choice. “The risk – he says – is to recruit personnel which leads to a lower level, even of the quality of the service”. In recent days, the Nas have found 165 irregularities throughout Italy, mainly concerning medical and nursing staff provided by external companies.
And then there is the matter of general practitioners and paediatricians. “There was a lack of planning – explains Tiberio – and now it is not possible to cover the deficient areas, not even with the derogation from the maximum number of patients. But it is – he continues – the tip of an iceberg that will collapse on us in the next 5-10 years”. Suffice it to say that by 2030 there are 470 retirements in sight, more than half of the general practitioners in service today.
“An attempt has been made to make up for it – concludes Tiberio – with more places in specialization, but few young people choose it. The scholarship is 900 euros, half of that offered for other specializations, which also offer more career prospects” .