The undersigned trade union organizations are forced, against their will, to have to publicly address the SS.LL. in order to urge and reiterate the need for an urgent meeting between the institutions and the social partners to address the provisions of Regional Law no. 9 of 23 May 2024, regarding the coverage of the deficit of the Regional Health Service, resulting in the fourth quarter of 2023, and in particular the provisions of the art. 2 of the same which highlights the obligation on the part of the local health authorities to intervene to prepare, within 30 days, a plan for the rationalization of the available resources and the sustainability of the health services offered.
In truth, these trade union organizations had already made a formal and urgent request in this sense on 30 May 2019 which, however, to date, has remained without any sign of response as often happens when the social partners request the start of of a discussion on health issues with the General Management of the ASL 1 Avezzano Sulmona L’Aquila and with the Mayor of L’Aquila, President of the Select Committee of Mayors who we have been asking for a hearing for at least 3 years at the Committee chaired by him, without receive any feedback.
The other ASLs in Abruzzo, stimulated to discuss, did not avoid the same as happens in the Province of L’Aquila, but, on the contrary, also called together the social partners to discuss the fundamental and delicate topic of public health.
We must therefore necessarily begin to address the issue relating to the deficit of ASL 1, equal to over 46 million euros, to understand, through a budget analysis, what has generated such a significant liability despite a continuous and systematic contraction of services in the provincial territory .
The impact on the budget deficit of the balance of passive mobility is very clear, amounting to over 24 million euros in 2023, while, in 2019, the ASL had closed with a positive balance of mobility, of around 4 million euros .
In fact, in 2023, the negative record for passive mobility was reached, equal to approximately 77 million euros, which highlights a continuous and systematic exodus of citizens towards more attractive healthcare systems than ASL 1 Abruzzo; this is also confirmed by the value of active mobility achieved in 2023, marking the lowest value since 2019, equal to 52 million euros.
Another serious situation found within the ASL 1 Abruzzo is the issue of waiting lists, in fact for a complete abdominal ultrasound, in the Peligno Sangrina area, it takes 328 days, for the L’Aquila Hospital, 289 days; for a dynamic Holter electrocardiogram, it takes 235 days for the L’Aquila Hospital; CT scan of the complete abdomen, L’Aquila area, 327 days, Peligna area, 223 days; total colonoscopy with flexible endoscope, L’Aquila area 587 days; mammography, first available date Marsica area January 2025, L’Aquila area and Peligno Sangrina area February 2025; grastroscopy L’Aquila April 2025, Marsica February 2025, Peligno Sangrina area all full for 2025; Brain MRI, L’Aquila area 340 days, Peligno Sangrina area 186, while for a dermatological visit, L’Aquila area 235 days, Marsica area 284 days. In general for colonoscopies the waiting times are for the L’Aquila area January 2026, Avezzano area May 2025, Sulmona area November 2025.
These represent just a few examples of how the waiting list situation has worsened in our Province to the detriment of the Prevention system which should, instead, be guaranteed in a very short time.
This situation can only derive from a chronic shortage of personnel which, as reported several times, is absolutely insufficient to guarantee public health services in compliance with current regulations on working hours.
In fact, the same staff is forced, due to the small number available, to work extraordinary scheduled hours and to continuously skip the rests due for psychophysical recovery, a condition which is further aggravated in conjunction with the summer period which in some in some cases it prevents the use of ordinary holidays and, in others, involves the merging of some departments and services, with the serious consequence of a further contraction of services dedicated to people.
The long waiting lists therefore do not respond to the health needs of citizens and the absence and/or scarcity of health services and personnel are leading thousands of people to seek treatment outside the province, or even outside the region, with the increasingly frequent use of private healthcare and the emergence of further inequality between those who can afford treatment and those who cannot.
Add to all this the now daily complaint of the shortage of medical materials and devices and medicines within the departments and services; in fact, there are continuous reports of a lack of sterile gloves, bags, catheter caps, needles, gauze, cotton, etc. etc.; even hospitalized patients are asked to provide themselves with the drugs used.
The undersigned, therefore, point out that the rationalization plans cannot and must not include cuts to staff (already lacking in itself), blocking of the stabilization processes or reduction of workers in companies contracting for services and complementary services, as they would further aggravate a working condition that is already very complex and complicated in itself, starting from the high workloads, which risk impacting on correct and punctual assistance.
It is worth remembering that further cuts to health services with direct repercussions on citizens, already heavily penalized, would not be sustainable for the entire community, which has the right to receive care without further burdens on itself, including the failure to abate of waiting lists.
This territory needs shared investments, planning that starts from unsatisfied health needs and that sees the public health system return to being a point of reference for prevention and treatment, reconfirming its principles of universality, equity and free of charge.
Only through this change will we avoid the constant depopulation and impoverishment of our territory.
Hoping for a timely and courteous response, we extend cordial greetings.
