Healthcare staffing shortages impact hospitals in Siena and Sardinia

Healthcare facilities in Italy are facing critical staffing shortages that are impacting service quality and patient care. In Siena, the Cisl Fp union has warned that the Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese is relying on temporary contracts and agency staff to manage a persistent lack of social-health workers (OSS). This shortage is particularly acute during night shifts in medical departments, forcing nursing staff to absorb basic care duties, which diverts their attention from clinical monitoring and specialized therapies.

In Sardinia, the Arnas Brotzu hospital in Cagliari is experiencing severe operational strain. The Usb Sanità union reports that 28 beds at the Businco facility remain inactive due to personnel shortages, while the San Michele hospital is facing departmental collapses. In the Orthopedics department, patients are reportedly being treated in makeshift settings such as medical rooms and plaster rooms. Union representatives are calling for an immediate crisis meeting with regional authorities to address long surgical waiting lists, staff burnout, and the delayed opening of new operating rooms.