Italian hospitals face severe staff shortages

The union representing health workers at Siena’s University Hospital (USB PI Sanità) has called for an extraordinary hiring plan, arguing that the recent recruitment announced by the regional health authority and the temporary use of nurses from another hospital are insufficient to address chronic staffing gaps. The union highlighted a critical shortage of socio‑health operators, noting that emergency department patients can remain on stretchers for days and that a single operator is often left to cover dozens of beds during night shifts, jeopardising patient safety and worker wellbeing.

Similarly, the staff union at Florence’s AOU Careggi has denounced a pervasive and unsustainable shortage of personnel across all professional categories, including nurses, technicians, administrative staff and midwives. Workers report excessive overtime, limited access to holidays and statutory leave, and deteriorating working conditions that affect the quality of care. Both unions are demanding urgent, concrete recruitment measures and full respect for contractual and legal rights to restore adequate staffing levels and ensure safe, quality health services for citizens.