“In Calabria there will be no reduction in the number of former medical guards without first activating the new facilities and new territorial assistance tools which will gradually replace the structures that currently deal with continuity of care. The Regional Supplementary Agreement (AIR) – signed by the Department of Health Protection and Social-Health Services, trade unions and the commissioner structure – incorporates the contents of the National Collective Agreement (ACN).” This is what can be read in a note from the Department of Health Protection and Social-Health Services of the Calabria Region
Specifically, “with regard to continuity of care (formerly medical guard) The ACN provides for 1 doctor for every 5,000 inhabitants. Since the continuity of care service can be guaranteed – according to the current legislation – by the presence of 4 doctors on duty, it is clear that a continuity of care station will correspond to 20,000 inhabitants: therefore in Calabria, approximately 100 will have to be foreseen. This type of continuity of care organization is already active throughout Italy. In Calabria, due to the historical shortcomings of the territorial network that has not been able to ensure health services in a widespread and adequate manner throughout the regional territory, it is not yet possible to proceed quickly to a review of continuity of care”.
“For these reasons in our Region – the note concludes – This reorganization process is part of a broader planning of the entire territorial network which provides, among other things, the activation of Territorial Functional Aggregations of General Practitioners and Freely Chosen Paediatricians throughout the regional territory, the activation of Territorial Operations Centres (two have already been activated), the creation of Community Houses, the completion of the 118 emergency network and finally the activation of the single number for continuity of care 116117. The AIR also provides a particular form of protection for disadvantaged Municipalities”.