Doctors fleeing from the NHS, Osservatorio Consulcesi is born

“In Italian hospitals, thousands of doctors and nurses have chosen to hang up their coats, anticipating retirement or migrating to more ‘quiet’ private clinics”. Consulcesi launches the SOS: “The phenomenon of ‘Great Resignation’, the great discharge, reported in the United States, is reaching alarming numbers in health care” and the future of assistance is at risk, warns the network dedicated to supporting the health professions , which to monitor the “great escape” has decided to create a dedicated Observatory and to activate a toll-free number for free consultations. “What triggers the spring of the flight is mostly the problem of grueling shifts, endless shifts to make up for the chronic shortage of personnel. A long-standing problem that the pandemic has only exacerbated. At least according to the reports that arrive in Consulcesi”, reads a note. “In reality, the great escape from hospitals has already begun some time ago”, says the president of the association, Massimo Tortorella. From the data of the annual Treasury account that refer to 2019, it appears that 2.9% of hospital doctors have decided to resign: “A hemorrhage that seems to have worsened, especially in some sectors such as the emergency, where the problem of grueling shifts is certainly more evident “. So much so that working in emergency departments is completely losing its appeal: according to the estimates of the Italian Society of Emergency-Emergency Medicine, only in the two-year period 2020/2021 18% of students abandoned their studies. “Our Service national health care is losing its appeal: working conditions are not adequate and health workers are no longer there – Tortorella points out – Understanding and monitoring this phenomenon becomes of fundamental importance for the future of Italian healthcare and that is why we have decided to put an Observatory dedicated to this purpose is standing “. “It is unacceptable that even today nothing has been done to put an end to the problem of grueling shifts”, urges Tortorella. Already more than 10 years ago – Consulcesi recalls – the European Union has beaten Italy for failure to comply with Directive 2003/88 / EC which promotes the improvement of the safety and health of workers and which establishes a maximum weekly working time of 48 hours, including overtime, and a daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours. While transposing this directive – continues the note – from 2008 to 2015 Italy has nullified its effects through two different regulations of 2008, which were effective only for healthcare professionals. In fact, on 25 November 2015, Italy adapted, but only formally, because in fact the violations persist. For the period prior to this date it was possible to request reimbursement, over 80 thousand euros for 6 years of work. There are already many doctors and health professionals who have turned to the legal network of Consulcesi, which for its part has triggered the first warnings. “We will never leave our health workers alone, the heroes who continue to protect us from the great enemy, Sars-CoV-2, and from all the other diseases that threaten the health of citizens”, assures Tortorella. Consulcesi provides a free consultancy service for information on the possibility of taking legal action and protecting oneself through a warning to preserve one’s rights, by contacting 800.122.777 or directly through the website www.consulcesi.it.