Saint Francis' Day is a "rich" one for doctors, but the 10.5 million won't arrive until two years later.

The serious pay issues plaguing doctors and nurses, and the very attractiveness of public employment for these professions, have finally been resolved. On September 23, the Chamber of Deputies approved bill AC 2231, establishing the National Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, to be celebrated annually on October 4.

The bill—which consolidated two separate bills (the other being AC 2097)—was approved with 247 votes in favor and 2 against, a clear sign that among the major issues that have been pending in Parliament for years, the feast of St. Francis has achieved absolute priority (the bill was presented on February 6 of this year) and cross-party support.

The obvious and good-natured irony of what has just been said stems from the fact that Article 2 of the approved text states that the law's implementation authorizes spending of approximately €10.5 million, "of which €8,793,880 annually is earmarked for the National Health Service." The wording isn't the best because it could imply that the funding is only for employees in the sector and not for managers belonging to the "area" of the NHS. This amount, which isn't exactly pennies on the dollar, will be needed to pay all workers who, starting January 1, 2026, will be on shift on October 4th the specific allowances prescribed by their respective collective bargaining agreements. For healthcare managers, this applies to Article 27, paragraph 5, of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement of January 23, 2024, which stipulates €100 for each holiday shift, while for employees in the sector, Article 27, paragraph 5, of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement of January 23, 2024, stipulates €100 for each holiday shift, while for employees in the sector, Article 27, paragraph 5, of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement of January 23, 2024, stipulates €100 for each holiday shift. Article 106, paragraph 4, of the National Collective Labor Agreement of November 2, 2022, provides for a six-hour holiday shift of €15.30 (not increased by the upcoming contract). To cover the increased cost, the law reduces the fund referred to in Article 1, paragraph 200, of Law 190/2014, i.e., the "Fund to meet urgent needs that arise during the course of management."

One can imagine the great satisfaction with which the law's entry into force will be greeted by healthcare workers working 24/7, although there's a small surprise hidden between the lines: October 4, 2026, is a Sunday, so the "enrichment" resulting from the feast of St. Francis will have to wait until 2027. This is why Article 2 specifies that "the standard national healthcare requirement to which the State contributes is increased by €8,793,880 per year starting in 2027." It all seems straightforward, but it isn't, because when the law comes into force—that is, in two years—that amount will be far from sufficient to cover the increased personnel costs, as the national collective bargaining agreements for 2025-2027 will have come into force, at least one hopes, considering that the 2022-2024 period is still up in the air for healthcare management.