What will happen to the abandoned structures when the single hospital of Busto and Gallarate is born? What will be the fate of those areas? Questions that need to be answered: municipal administrations and citizens are asking for it.
This is the main argument of a motion presented to the Lombardy Regional Council by Luca Ferrazzirepresentative of Better Lombardy in the regional council, and signed by Samuele Astuti (Pd) and Giuseppe Licata (Italia Viva). The document raises a crucial question regarding the future of existing hospital structures after the construction of the new single hospital in Busto Arsizio and Gallarate. This initiative arises from the need to clarify what will happen to the hospital complexes that will be decommissioned once the new center is operational.
«I am worried about the lack of choices made with respect to this issue – says Ferrazzi – Given that the 2028 deadline for the construction of the single hospital will not be respected and we are now talking about 2030, I wonder if at least the time has not come to coordinate territorial activity. In recent years we have heard conflicting statements, there is nothing in writing. However, we believe that the citizens who collected those 13 thousand signatures to ask for efficient and safe local services deserve a response.”
«During the hearing on 21 November 2023 in the Third Health Commission, relating to the Program Agreement for the construction of the new single hospital, the general director of Welfare of the Region Giovanni Pavesi declared that the agreement was mainly focused on the construction of the new hospital, without specifying the intended use of the structures that will be freed. Pavesi underlined that “the use of the areas and structures of the old hospitals will be the subject of individual program agreements promoted by the individual municipal administrations”. This means that each local administration will have to evaluate and decide how to redevelop and use the old hospital structures.”
Ferrazzi then drew attention to the fact that, according to the Program Agreement, the main objective is the creation of a new hospital “as a single territorial reference center, capable of satisfying medium/high complexity healthcare demand”. «All the activities currently distributed in the existing facilities will be concentrated in the new hospital. Furthermore, the municipalities of Busto Arsizio and Gallarate are required, as reported in the agreement, to “sign Program Agreements for the urban redevelopment of the locations of the current hospitals”, thus guaranteeing the regeneration and valorisation of the freed areas, maintaining territorial health functions” .
In consideration of these premises, the motion presented by Ferrazzi asks the President of the Region and the Regional Council to stipulate clear and timely program agreements: «The municipal administrations must receive precise indications on the conditions for maintaining the territorial health functions within the urban redevelopment of the locations of the current hospitals also remodulating the current forecasts of territorial centers, community homes and community hospitals».
It also asks about ensure operational continuity during the transition: «It is essential to ensure that existing structures can continue to adequately respond to the needs of the population until the new hospital is built. This requires careful management of current resources and operations.”
Finally, the ASST Valle Olona is invited to engage in the stipulation of agreements with universities which host the faculties of medicine and surgery, to include trainees in the workforce, thus improving support for existing staff.
«The motion will be discussed on Tuesday – concludes Ferrazzi – We want to make politics face its responsibilities. The decision not to choose, never like in this case, is serious and disrespectful.”
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