Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
Italy’s audit court says health waiting lists remain a structural problem
Italy’s Court of Auditors says health waiting lists are a structural problem, not just a lingering effect of the pandemic.
From 2022 to 2025, about €1.58 billion of €1.845 billion in state funds was used, though regional data is incomplete and some money remained unspent.
Staff shortages and regional gaps limit the care available, while weak monitoring makes it hard to link spending to results.
For specialist visits and diagnostic tests, only about half of prescriptions lead to a booking, and one in five people rejects the first appointment offered.
The court calls for better tracking of funds and results, linked booking systems, stronger accountability and more staff.
The 2024 measures are not yet fully in place, so their effects can only be assessed once implementation is complete.
Italy’s Court of Auditors says long waits for public health care remain a structural problem, not merely a pandemic-related emergency.
The court found that increased funding has not consistently led to more services or shorter waits.
It cited staff shortages, organizational and management problems, regional differences and difficulties using allocated funds.
About €1.58 billion of roughly €1.845 billion in state allocations for 2022-2025 had been used, the court reported.
The court called for stronger monitoring, more accountable use of funds and improvements to health care in local communities.
- Who
- Italy’s Court of Auditors assessed measures to reduce health care waiting lists.
- What
- It said waiting lists remain a structural problem and that funding has not consistently produced more services or shorter waits.
- When
- The report covers measures and funding from 2022 onward, including the 2024 decree.
- Where
- Italy’s public health system, with differences among regions.
- Why
- Staff shortages, organizational and management problems, regional differences and difficulties implementing measures limit their effectiveness.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
About €3.71 billion was designated for measures to contain waiting lists over this period.
Decree 73 introduced a new governance model based on stronger controls, digitalization and timely data availability.
About €1.58 billion of approximately €1.845 billion in state allocations was used.
The Court of Auditors’ findings were reported in articles about its review of waiting-list measures.
- Total planned resources
- About €3.71 billion for 2022-2028
- State allocations
- About €1.845 billion for 2022-2025
- Funds used
- About €1.58 billion for 2022-2025
- 2024 decree
- Decree 73
- Regional platform
- National Waiting Lists Platform (Pnla)
- Local care framework
- PNRR and Decree No. 77 of 2022
5 sources
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Liste d’attesa, la Corte dei conti: “Più fondi, ma non diminuiscono i tempi. Risorse inutilizzate, personale insufficiente e sistemi di controllo carenti”
Corte Conti: 'Le liste d'attesa sono criticità strutturali, i fondi non bastano'
What people are saying
the increase in funding has not always produced proportionate results in terms of services delivered and reduction in waiting times
persistent implementation difficulties, staff shortages and regional differences limit the effectiveness of the interventions