Contact EURACT

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Phone
(32) 16 33 74 64

FAX
(32) 16 33 74 80

ITALY

Basic Medical Education

First steps for basic medical education are now organised in Italy. Now, we have signed agreement between University of Modena and Italian College of General Practitioners (and another one with University of Bari) and a structured course is organised since last November 2002, for students on sixth year. A course to prepare Tutors specifically for this topic was organised in Modena, medical journals wrote about, a specific book for Tutors (the first one in Italy, printed by Italian College) is on the tables, one chapter is mine. The topic is matter of discussion, finally, and it'll open the way forward (signed in Genova, at beginning in Milan, where I hope to contribute discussing all details about a teaching agenda for students). Big work, also, on teachers' selection. A conference in Modena, on 20^th September will try to put a national political basis for BME in Italian General Practice. I was asked to underline the point of view of EURACT.

I was invited as lecturer and member of EURACT Council National Representative at several meetings during this period in University of Milan and Parma, to speak about teaching, accreditation, research (EGPRW), guidelines with specialists, and all concerning EURACT's acitivities.

Postgraduate specialist training

We have a postgraduate specialist training since 1994. This is a two year long training, managed in hospitals for one year, in district services for six months, in tutor GPs' practices for six months. Also, half of seminars are managed by GPs' teachers.

Now, we are preparing to change this training as a real specialist certificate, with a three year course, one year in the practices. It'll be since next course, beginning in October 2003. Teachers are paid for seminars, tutors are paid monthly, coursists are paid at lowest level for hospital doctors, not yet (differently from previous years) obliged to refuse by law every contemporary other work.

Continuing medical education

It is obligatory for National Contract with NHS , to take 40 (before it was 32) hours of CME , (20 with Health Local Authorities , 20 with Scientific Societies or in other places of choice).

Now, we are managing to arrive to a national CME system, with an accreditation of events , by credits and points attributed to events, 150 credits to collect in five years.

After a period of prove, between January and December 2001, we are now going, since 01 April 2002, to real credit points. but .many colleagues involved in teaching and research and the biggest Scientific Society (Italian College of General Practitioners) are not satisfied and they are studying to arrive to a system accrediting also curricula, active participation at congresses, and distance learning systems (more difficult to organise and value). Italian College is realising this having changed its bylaws with a system with membership and fellowship.
Generally, there is a fighting about “who” has to accreditate “ whom”: Government, General Medical Council, Local Medical Councils, Scientific Societies, a National College or Academy, Trust Doctors' Organisations.

Since Council in Hungary (April 2001), there was a change in Minister and a change in the Government, after political elections. After strong fighting, Scientific Societies are taken again in discussion, but, really, CME by Internet accreditation is not working and points are attributed automatically not seriously, with problems on getting real control on providers, different credit – points just attributed to the same event in different cities, no real consideration about professional quality… Debate is spreading and CME in difficulties with Italian College trying to put on the table his point of view, very similar at EURACT's point of view.

Health Care

New input in this field is coming from agreements between Local Health Authorities and GPs' organisations with health programmes finalised to objectives of result: on breast cancer screening, smoking cessation campaign (we brought two works about this topic at WONCA Europe Congress in Tampere). Also, Scientific Societies of GPs realised a common political and scientific document stopping a specialist initiative of not proven efficacy about prostate screening , also managed taking out GPs. …but nothing in common was done after, debate on CME is teaching, and General Practice is now in strong danger on a political change toward an “ american “ way of primary care.

Regional devolution is going on profile, and GPs' role also as gatekeepers and mainly as specific professional (still lacking in Italy) is in strong debate…!

Life as Council Member

The EURACT Council National Representative was invited at several meetings during this year also in University of Milan and Parma and Modena, to speak about teaching, accreditation, research (EGPRW) and all about EURACT's activities.

Several different medical associations and societies and medical schools published a translation of the New Definition, using formats of different length. WONCA was usually believed to be the real author: I had to underline the role of EURACT with seasons spent on drafting and on getting consensus at Barcelona Conference.

I got six papers of mine published these months: EJGP June issue (Mediterranean medicine: Malta consensus), B.J.Gen.Pract., September issue (New Contract and Career Development), EJGP September issue (tutor and practice selection) , BJGP January 2003 issue (New Contract and the New Definition), EJGP April 2003 (Good co-operation from all European countries without barriers), BJGP April 2003 (Why still a medical student wants to become a GP)., BJGP July 2003 (Special non clinical interests).

Seven electronic letters were published on British Medical Journal.

All were signed as EURACT Council Member, and, except the first one, they all were based on EURACT's concepts and documents. So EURACT was known in large population of GPs, the same for Italy, with translations and presentations.

EURACT – Italy is involved in co-operation with EGPRN for Workshop in Verona (19-21 October 2003). Some members are involved with University of Maastricht on palliative care.

I'm now appointed in the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Medicine, in London and I invite colleagues to send contributes to be published.

A lot of new members for EURACT are continuously coming, all from different geographic areas and from different GPs Societies (Csermeg, Snamid, SIMG , local P.C. schools). They need now a big work of secretary by me and my wife and my daughter and I'll ask again EURACT Council to realize real benefits for EURACT full members.

A bad situation was discovered when I realised that somebody organised a meeting with some of the scientific societies and trust organisations to organise the scientific committee for WONCA 2006 in Florence, without inviting EURACT because....not representative (!!). EURACT Executive and WONCA Europe President got informed by me of the situation. EURACT- Italy members also. The situation, on this topic, is unchanged till now.