The unions’ no blocked the law decree for the reform of family doctors. Even if it will be discussed again, the main components have been rejected. During the meeting between the regional health councilors and the head of cabinet of the ministry of health, Marco Mattei, the stop to the reform was confirmed.
What little remains is a provision to the amendment being examined by Parliament, with a smaller impact than the initial hypothesis, or by inserting the obligation for family doctors to guarantee at least six hours per week of presence in community homes. This last point, however, has not yet been discussed with the unions.
The end of the reform of family doctors did not come without discontent, in fact it was recorded that Guido Bertolaso, one of the architects of the reform, abandoned his role as deputy coordinator of the health commission of the regions.
Family doctor reform rejected
Not completely rejected, one could say “frozen” the reform of general practitioners. The measure had not yet been presented by the Ministry of Health, but during the meeting between the regional health councilors and the head of cabinet Mattei, confirmation of the stop arrived.
Behind it there would be the opposition of the doctors’ unions and part of the majority who would have scuttled the reform. Reform desired by many regions, even those with centre-right traction.
The reform, let us remember, was strongly supported by the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci, with the aim of achieving a transition to dependence for a part of general practitioners and their role within community homes.
A reform that doctors didn’t like
Filling community homes with family doctors, this was the Minister of Health’s plan to make the project financed with the Pnrr work.
However, the race to make the community houses work (and not lose the resources of the Pnrr) seems to have been blocked by their protagonists.
We remind you that the text provided for the introduction of the possibility of hiring family doctors as employees of the national health service in those regions that suffer from greater staff shortages or organizational difficulties. The same was also true for doctors with related specialties, such as geriatrics and internal medicine.
The unions, however, did not appreciate it. Silvestro Scotti, secretary of Fimmg, declared the state of unrest last month, speaking of “institutional forcing”. There was talk of the right to intervention by the Constitutional Court.
According to Scotti, in fact, to save the targets of the Pnrr there was a risk of dismantling the relationship of trust between doctor and patient, transforming local assistance into a bureaucratic desk.
What remains of the reform?
Something of the reform remains. There are at least two options. On the one hand, proceed with a rule through an amendment or provision already under consideration in Parliament. On the other hand, entrust the act with guidelines for the renewal of the agreement, including the obligation for family doctors to guarantee six hours per week of presence in the community homes.
A completely uncertain step, because it has not yet been discussed with the trade unions. Above all, a hypothesis that the regions do not like because only one rule is able to give guarantees on the effective application of the measure.
At the time of the reform of family doctors, therefore, there is little left and it may be necessary to re-discuss the entire plan. Faced with this hypothesis, Guido Bertolaso, Lombardy’s health councilor and deputy coordinator of the regions’ health commission, decided to resign. He expressed his dissent and bitterness at the choice which in his opinion would only waste an opportunity to really get involved in the reform of general medicine.
