Sicily to hire nearly 3,000 healthcare workers

The Sicilian regional government has approved a plan to hire 2,917 permanent healthcare professionals to strengthen local medical services. The initiative, signed by Health Assessor Marcello Caruso, aims to make community houses and community hospitals fully operational by addressing critical staffing shortages.

The recruitment drive is supported by 160 million euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The largest portion of new hires will be nurses, with 1,571 positions available. Other roles include 205 doctors, 172 socio-sanitary operators, 146 social workers, and 780 technical, administrative, and socio-sanitary professionals.

Funding will be distributed among the nine provincial health authorities (ASP) based on territory size and active facilities. Major metropolitan areas will receive the highest allocations: approximately 60 million euros for Palermo, 31.5 million for Catania, and 22 million for Messina. The goal is to shift care away from hospitals and closer to citizens, particularly benefiting the elderly and those with chronic conditions.