Palliative care in Italy: the Nursing Up union calls for more staff and local networks
The nurses' union Nursing Up has launched an important appeal to the national health system regarding the future of palliative care in Italy. According to the organization, the country is in urgent need of a greater number of specialized professionals and a more efficient local network to guarantee the right to dignity for patients until the end of life.
Currently, many Italian healthcare facilities are struggling to meet the growing demand for home and residential care for the terminally ill. The union emphasizes that, despite the existence of cutting-edge laws, the shortage of qualified nursing staff represents a significant obstacle to equitable access to this care throughout the national territory.
Nursing Up's proposal aims to strengthen the link between hospitals and local services. The goal is to allow patients to receive specialized care directly in their own homes, thereby reducing the burden on hospital facilities and improving the quality of life for patients and their families.
The debate raised by the union highlights a crucial challenge for the Italian public health system. Continuous training for operators and investment in new human resources are considered fundamental steps to make the palliative care system not only more robust, but also closer to the real needs of citizens.