Appointment of healthcare managers in Sicily, first decisions on the way

Last Updated: October 16, 2023

The X hour has been set for today, October 16, at 10:30 am. The closed-door meeting between the president of the region and the secretaries of the majority parties will discuss the politically hot topic of appointing the 18 managers who will lead the healthcare companies in Sicily. It is unlikely that the decision will be made in a single meeting, but with the acceleration guaranteed by Renato Schifani to resolve the issues by October, the first verdicts or at least the framework and model for selecting the names are expected to emerge from Palazzo d’Orleans. The modus operandi will not likely be a “random selection among the best” as proposed by Totò Cuffaro, but rather a combination of considerations of professionalism and competence with a strong emphasis on transparency. Other party leaders see Cuffaro’s proposal as a mere provocation and continue to advocate for meritocracy as the only criterion for selection. The political pressure on names and positions is becoming stronger, making it difficult for Schifani to reach a compromise. The division of positions among the political parties is not straightforward, as the weight of the different healthcare companies varies, and the distribution of roles in the Health Department favors Forza Italia. Additionally, certain appointments, such as the Asp in Agrigento, are highly coveted by both Cuffaro and members of Forza Italia. The question of which candidates to consider is also up for debate, as Schifani must decide whether to only consider the list of 49 “most suitable” candidates or also look at the other eligible candidates as requested by a resolution from the Health Commission.