ASL 1 emergency medical service in Abruzzo faces severe staffing crisis

The 118 emergency rescue service of ASL 1 Avezzano‑Sulmona‑L'Aquila is described by the Tribunal for Patient Rights as "on the brink of collapse". In the province of L'Aquila, 12 of the 20 activated stations are in critical condition: several operate without doctors or nurses, others run reduced hours (H12 instead of 24‑hour service), and the air‑rescue unit works only during daylight. The tribunal points to a national shortage of health personnel and recent administrative choices, noting that the tender for the 20 posts resulted in only six assignments, awarded to just two volunteer associations.

After 16 years of continuous volunteer support, the Croce Bianca association announced it will cease its 118 service at the end of August. The decision stems from economic and organisational constraints: the new contract reimburses €4,600 per month for a 12‑hour shift, far below the roughly €9,000 needed to staff three nurses. The association also declined to participate in the latest tender, citing unsustainable conditions. These developments leave the region’s emergency response capacity markedly weakened.