From utility manager to tattoo artist, the charge of the new professions

From the 'utility manager' to counter the phenomenon of 'capestro' contracts, to the school psychologist in institutions of all levels. From the family and community midwife to the rescue driver. There are numerous and varied bills presented in Parliament (almost all of them in the Chamber of Deputies) that aim to establish new professional figures. Often in an attempt to respond to widespread social problems. Other times they are the expression of more niche phenomena, such as that of the deputy Simona Loizzo (Lega), which aims to regulate the profession of graphologist, with the establishment of a professional register and order. None, however, has concluded its process. On the contrary, in most cases they are bills that have not yet begun examination in committee. This is the case of the most recent proposal, filed on 10 July in the Chamber of Deputies by the Lega Nord member Giorgia Latini, which aims at the 'recognition of the qualification of artistic trainer in the theatrical and cinematographic sector'. Or the one establishing the professional figure of the consultant for the management of energy and telecommunications service utilities (first signatory Carmen Letizia Giorgianni - Fdi), which was assigned to the Productive Activities and Transport Committees of the Chamber of Deputies on 1 July. In particular, the latter stems from the consideration that 'in Italy,' reads the illustrative report, 'there are over 700 energy operators, more than 2,000 telephone operators and about 150,000 agents, brokers and consultants, yet there is no register for operators and agents. A shortcoming that produces a multitude of appeals. "There are in fact about 800,000 requests for conciliation that are examined every year by consumer associations". Hence the need for a utility manager (or 'utility manager'), 'who can respond to the needs of families and businesses, increasingly affected by aggressive sales policies and unstable commodity costs'. Whether it is telephony or energy, 'the utility manager does not just accompany the user in choosing the most suitable supply', but also tries 'to build a transparent relationship between the parties'.

Changing sector, a number of proposals aimed at strengthening psychological support in the territory have begun the process in committee. The Culture and Education Committee in Montecitorio is currently examining three similar and bipartisan bills that aim to make the figure of the psychologist in schools of all levels structural. The first signatories of the bills are Giorgia Latini (Lega), Carmen Di Lauro (M5S) and Patrizia Marrocco (Fi). Among the common objectives is that of 'combating and preventing school drop-outs, bullying and youth distress'. Not only. The awareness of the lack of an adequate psychological assistance service on the territory, exacerbated by the Covid epidemic, is at the origin of some bills that aim to establish, within the national health service, the figure of the basic psychologist (first signatory Maurizio Lupi, leader of 'Noi Moderati') or of the primary care (one text is by the Dem Ilenia Malavasi, another by the M5s Carmen Di Lauro). Draft laws examined by the Social Affairs Committee of Montecitorio together with others of similar content, with the adoption last November of a basic text that assigns precise tasks to the 'primary care psychologist'. These include: 'the provision of a first level of quality, accessible psychological assistance, rapid patient care, with a favourable cost-effectiveness ratio', as well as intervention in cases of 'bereavement, job loss, separation' or 'recurrence of illness'.

Remaining in the healthcare field, the Dem Ileana Malavasi is the first signatory of three different bills for the establishment in the regional and national healthcare system, respectively, of the family and community midwife ("she takes care of women" from "puberty to menopause, in collaboration with the family doctor") the community physiotherapist ('works as part of a multi-professional team' for the 'prevention and improvement of the management of chronic or neurodegenerative diseases'), and the family and community nurse ('assists the chronically ill at home, but also patients in the acute phase who do not require intensive care or who cannot be treated exclusively in hospital'). The latter figure, moreover, is provided for in the guidelines drawn up a year ago by the National Agency for Regional Health Services (Agenas). On the other hand, Luciano Ciocchetti (Fdi) is the signatory of a bill to establish the profession of shiatsu operator 'establishing the requirements to give credibility and support to those who possess the required quality parameters, so as to protect users from non-competent operators'. While Ugo Cappellacci (Forza Italia) presented a bill to give a regulatory framework to the figure of the rescue driver.

On the front of assistance for the disabled, there are two PD proposals. Marco Furfaro points to the creation of the figure 'of the operator for the emotionality, affectivity and sexuality of people with disabilities'. Irene Manzi (first signatory) to that of the assistant 'for the autonomy and personal communication of pupils with disabilities'.

Lastly, some texts by the League are worth mentioning. Dario Giagoni and Attilio Pierro are concerned with regulating the profession of environmental hiking guide, in order to 'promote a homogeneous training and refresher course'. Giorgia Andreuzza is the first signatory of the proposal to introduce the professional figure of the 'professional fishing guide'. While Eugenio Zoffili focuses on 'regulating the professional activities of tattoo artists and piercers'. And Rebecca Frassini on the regulation of 'electronic or virtual sports (e-sports) and related professional and economic activities'.