Because doctors especially beat up the League
Among the various requests that yesterday pushed doctors, health managers, midwives and nurses to take to the streets was the decriminalization of the medical act, for which the League has instead put forward a bill that stiffens the penalties even further. The two opposing positions, the discontent, the criticisms and the expectations of the professionals
The mega national strike of doctors, health managers, midwives and nurses called by the trade unions Cimo Fesmed, Anaao Assomed and Nursing Up was extremely successful. But what do they think is wrong with the National Health Service (NHS) and what do all those who crossed their arms yesterday ask?
One criticism, in particular, is aimed at Matteo Salvini's League…
THE NUMBERS OF THE STRIKE
A national strike lasted 24 hours. According to the acronyms , that of doctors and all healthcare personnel has reached up to 85% of members and up to 1.5 million services could have been missed. Emergency services were guaranteed, but all other services, including laboratory tests, were put in jeopardy , from surgical interventions (around 30 thousand scheduled and at risk of being postponed) to specialist visits (180 thousand) up to radiographic tests ( 50 thousand).
A demonstration that, according to what was declared by the workers involved, a one-day strike could become the inevitable future of Italian healthcare. “This strike is a cry of alarm and if there is no response we will arrive at mass resignations,” said the national secretary of Anaao Assomed, Pierino Di Silverio.
“To those who say that going on strike today was not correct – he added -, we reply that it is not correct to make us lose part of our pension, the grueling shifts are not correct and it is not correct that doctors should live under the sword of Damocles of Italian justice; we ask that the League's bill, which even provides for prison, be withdrawn."
THE LEAGUE'S BILL THAT WARMS THE MIND
And here comes the whip straight to the League. Salvini's party, in fact, has put forward a bill that wants to toughen the penalties for medical negligence with prison terms from 3 months to 5 years. “There is also great concern on the side of medical liability,” declared Filippo Anelli, president of the National Federation of Orders of Doctors and Surgeons (Fnomceo), who then asked on behalf of everyone: “The League should think again and withdraw immediately a wrong proposal."
Gerardo Anastasio, secretary of the Anaao Asssomed Toscana, also spoke to Fatto Quotidiano about the bill presented last July by the Northern League deputy Simonetta Matone and assigned to the Justice commission of the Chamber in November: “First they say one thing and then they do the opposite. We feel cheated."
In fact, one of the doctors' requests is precisely the opposite, that is, the decriminalization of the medical act.
WHY PROFESSIONALS ASK FOR THE DEPENALIZATION OF THE MEDICAL ACTION
“While the Nordio Commission for the study and in-depth analysis of the problems relating to medical professional negligence is working in the most total and disturbing secrecy and silence at the Ministry of Justice, in Parliament bizarre ideas are increasingly taking shape which, like Anaao, we strongly oppose because it is the opposite of the decriminalization of the medical act,” Di Silverio explained before the strike.
“Decriminalizing the medical act, one of the priority objectives of the Association – he specified -, does not mean escaping from possible responsibilities, but rather acknowledging that the Doctor cannot be subjected to three courts (hospital, order and civil) and that to judge one cannot start from a presumption of guilt."
According to what was reported by Anaao Assomed, "of 35 thousand cases every year, 95% end in nothing, after having involved colleagues for 6 to 8 years with huge financial outlays, psychological pressure, infiltration by companies that promote investigations into suspected negligence in hospital and a cooling of the doctor-patient relationship, in favor of defensive medicine which costs the State 11 billion".
THE PROPOSAL TO BE TREATED LIKE TEACHERS AND MAGISTRATES
In October, Cimo Fesmed, during a hearing at the Social Affairs Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, also underlined the importance of protecting doctors: "The lack of serenity of doctors at work, in fact, is a fact today, caused not only by the grueling shifts to which they are forced by the now chronic shortage of staff, but also by the fear of being reported by patients for alleged cases of medical malpractice".
“A phenomenon which, despite the fact that 95% of cases end in nothing – reiterates the Federation -, is growing rapidly, also due to captivating advertising messages from professional firms specializing in the topic. The use by doctors of 'protective' behaviors such as defensive medicine, and therefore the request for visits, tests or drugs which are superfluous from a clinical point of view but useful in the event of litigation, the cost of which is around 10 billion euros per year, is therefore increasing”.
For Cimo Fesmed, to protect health workers we should instead take inspiration from other categories, such as teachers and magistrates, "whose direct responsibility is eliminated in favor of the indirect responsibility of the institution to which they belong, except for the right of compensation of the structure for cases of fraud and gross negligence". And, therefore, "why not adopt the same system for doctors too?".
DISAPPOINTMENTS AND OTHER REQUESTS
In addition to decriminalizing the medical act, as summarized by Anaao Assomed, healthcare personnel ask to leave the PA by recognizing doctors and healthcare managers as a special category, adequately finance the contract, and reduce tax on part of the salary. And then hiring of staff, better working conditions, the cancellation of cuts to pensions produced by the tightening of the rate of return of the salary portion of the pension of doctors, nurses, teachers (which also impacts on employees of local authorities and bailiffs).
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/perche-i-medici-picchiano-soprattutto-la-lega/ on Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:37:45 +0000.