Italy spends over €1 billion on temporary health staff amid aging crisis

Italy is confronting a deepening health‑care challenge as its population ages rapidly; projections show that by 2050 more than a third of Italians will be over 65, with 5.5 million seniors expected to be non‑self‑sufficient. Health‑sector leaders, including Confcooperative Sanità president Giuseppe Milanese, warn that the National Health Service (SSN) must shift from a hospital‑centric model to integrated territorial and home‑care services.

A parallel staffing emergency is evident. The National Anti‑Corruption Authority (ANAC) reports that public demand for outsourced medical and nursing staff reached €1.064 billion in the 2024‑2025 biennium, with spending rising 15 % in 2025. Contracts for “gettonisti” (temporary staff) now total €50 million for doctors alone, while direct procurements without competition account for the majority of expenditures. Trade union UGL Salute and other unions argue that this approach drains public budgets without solving chronic staff shortages.

Regional initiatives aim to mitigate the demographic pressure. In Basilicata, a PNRR‑funded program provided home‑care services to 125 non‑self‑sufficient seniors across six local territories, combining housing upgrades, assisted‑living support and digital tools. The CNA pensioners federation called for a territorial health network that prioritises community centres, integrated home care, telemedicine and nursing homes, highlighting the digital‑access gap for older citizens.

Finally, a study by the Anaao trade union shows that nearly 10 000 medical trainees entered the SSN during specialization between 2018‑2025, representing around a third of all hires in 2023, though integration challenges remain. Collectively, these developments underscore the urgency of reforming Italy’s health system to address both an ageing society and a costly reliance on temporary personnel.