Attacks on doctors and nurses, the Armed Forces arrive in hospitals but the problem is in the “qualifications”. The analysis
The episodes that have been repeated in recent weeks attacks on health personnel within the facilities have brought to light a serious problem. Hospitals are included in the category of so-called sensitive targets to monitorto be clear, those which would be, at least in theory, subject to surveillance by Police Force personnel, as they are strategic structures.
The problem of surveillance, related to the prevention of crimes and the protection of public safety, is in the numbers, because the Police Forces they do not have – in terms of staff – the resources necessary to meet all the needs relating to public order and safety in the territories.
The various Provincial Committees for Public Order and Safety – chaired by Prefects, with the necessary qualified presence of the Police Chiefs, the Provincial Commanders of the Carabinieri and Finance – also meet whenever there are episodes worthy of attention, or to analyse phenomena worthy of “attention”by virtue of the associated risks and any possible strategies that can be implemented.
Often these Committees are late, because they foresee countermeasures – always, in reality, for a limited time, because the forces available to those territorially competent Commanders are those – when the milk has already been spilt.
Just on Friday 13th September, during an important event which took place in Avellino, the Ministers Piantedosi and Schillacirespectively Internal Affairs and Health, have finally spoken of a concrete solution, which I have already proposed in the body of an article published entitled “ADAPTING IS FUNDAMENTAL. The “Safe Roads” Operation and the continuous change of Law” published in “Rivista Militare” n.04/2024, or rather ofuse of the Italian Army to guard strategic structures, including hospitals, and the necessary subjective qualification of public official to be assigned to military personnel in service.
Now, in order not to waste and misuse these extraordinary resources, as – in my opinion – in the case of safe roadswhich practically limits the service carried out by our boys in uniform to the same extent as the intervention that the ordinary citizen could carry out, that is, calling the police, something else is needed.
The reason for what has just been stated can be found in a qualifications problem, because – for those who don’t know – the Armed Forces do not possess the subjective qualifications of Police officers, i.e. the qualifications of judicial police officers or agents, as well as public safety officers or agentswhich offer guarantees of protection and legal obligation to intervene, translated: arrest in cases of flagrante delicto, carry out searches and seizures, identify individuals.
If the Parliamentary activities do not evaluate this epochal – necessary – regulatory change, we are at zero, it will remain an advertisement!
What to do?! You could consider train that personnel, or some dedicated quotas – identified by the General Staffs of the individual Armed Forces – and give – like the Municipal Police – area and time qualifications to the personnel sent out onto the streets, related solely to the performance of the active service.
It is obvious that it is no longer tolerable that barbarian hordes invade hospital corridors and brutally attack healthcare workers at every turn, because These are not sporadic episodes, but rather daily ones. (see Foggia, Nocera Inferiore, Pescara the latest events), and, to do this, reforms are needed with the collaboration of those who know the sector regulations.
The Undersecretary of Health Marcello Gemmato, with appreciated legal precision, in recent days, has excellently highlighted how the Government has reintroduced the ex officio prosecution for attacks on healthcare personnel – previously cancelled by the Cartabia reform-, increasing the sentences up to five years, with more severe punishments in case of serious or very serious assaults, up to 16 years of imprisonment. In short, continuity, seriousness and regulatory severity are necessary.
*Deputy Public Prosecutor
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