Background and Objective:
Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen the capacity of the Italian National Health Service (NHS) to provide outreach health services, integrated with social services. In this context, Mission 6 Health Component 1 (M6C1) of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) ‘Proximity networks, facilities and telemedicine for territorial health care’ was developed. The NRRP-M6C1 aims to strengthen territorial health care through the creation of territorial facilities and proximity networks throughout the country, the strengthening of home care, the development of telemedicine and of a more effective integration between health and social services.

Methods:
Italy issued Ministerial Decree No. 77/2022, as ratification of the reform planned by M6C1-NRRP, defining models and standards for the development of territorial care in the NHS. The reform defines services offered and operating hours, as well as health workforce personnel involved, and catchment area of the population served, starting from socio-health needs, orographic conditions of the country, taking into account ecological and digital transition.

Results:
By 2026, M6C1 investments and reform will provide a new territorial healthcare organization, described as follows: a) 1350 Community Health Houses, easily identifiable and accessible for health and social needs; b) 600 Territorial Coordination Centres, which coordinate the taking charge of the person and will facilitate the relations between services and professionals involved; c) 400 Community Hospitals, healthcare facilities of the territorial network characterized by short-term hospitalization and medium/low clinical intensity; d) the taking charge at home of 10% of the population over 65 years old (estimated at around 1,500,000 people in 2026); e) consolidation of telemedicine within the Italian NHS to improve health outcomes and equity.

Conclusion:
Enhancing public primary care services across the country, through the NRRP resources, will improve overall health status and decrease health inequalities across population also by reducing geographical variation.