Healthcare in crisis, the UIL (Italian Labour Union) urges Fico: "New hires needed now. Use national regulations to recruit and stabilize staff."

Naples – An urgent appeal to Campania Regional President Roberto Fico to immediately unblock hiring and permanent positions in the Regional Health Service, implementing the new national regulations. The appeal was launched by UIL Campania and UIL FPL Napoli e Campania, who are calling for institutional discussions to prevent the services from collapsing.

The general secretary of UIL Campania, Giovanni Sgambati, and the commissioners of UIL FPL, Ciro Chietti and Pietro Bardoscia, have sent a letter to Fico—who has retained the responsibility for healthcare—and to the General Directorate for Health Protection. They ask for action without further delay.

The staffing shortage, described as "structural," is undermining the quality of care, lengthening waiting lists and disrupting service delivery times. This situation, unions denounce, also impacts the working conditions of staff, who are forced to work "grueling" shifts.

The solution, according to the UIL, lies in the new laws. "The recent provisions of the 2026 Budget Law and the Milleproroghe Decree finally offer extraordinary tools to reverse the trend," explain Sgambati, Chietti, and Bardoscia. The legislation authorizes regions to hire permanent workers, despite spending restrictions, with a financial commitment of €450 million annually until 2028. It also strengthens the stabilization process for temporary workers, with the possibility of scheduling hiring by December 31, 2026.

For union leaders, it's time to "seize the opportunities." They are therefore asking Fico to immediately initiate a discussion on two concrete objectives: adjusting the personnel spending cap to the new possibilities recognized by law, and promoting stabilization programs. Specifically, they are urging healthcare companies to map all temporary workers who will meet the requirements by the end of the year and to develop the Three-Year Personnel Requirements Plans for 2025/2027, taking into account possible increases.

"Only by permanently strengthening staffing," they conclude, "can we guarantee better services to citizens, respectable waiting times, and sustainable working conditions for staff, while protecting their health." The ball is now in the Region's court.