Abstract

This paper introduces the following monographic section, which is focused on the reform of primary, community and outpatient care in the Italian National Health Service (Nhs), started in 2021-2022. While the very limited financial investment and the lack of healthcare staff risk to bring the Nhs on the brink of collapse, as described in the paper, the primary and community care reform represents a great opportunity to relaunch the healthcare system. Among the several issues analysed by the papers included in the monographic section, three of them are briefly discussed: the conception underlying the Community Houses and their role in the welfare community; the relationships between the primary care reform and the regional healthcare models; the role of GPs in the new primary and community care system.