Hurdles ahead for NHS

Despite efforts to find common ground on the national health scheme (NHS), it was obvious there will be disagreements, Health Minister Philippos Patsalis said on Saturday, as draft legislation concerning the NHS will be heading to parliament in around 20 days.

“There are many differing views arising from the lengthy dialogue we conducted with all political parties, unions, professional organisations, workers, and the public,” the minister said, adding that it was clear that red lines would have to be breached in the effort to overhaul the island’s health system.

Putting a new health system in place is included in the terms of the island’s bailout.

“The red lines set by the parties involved are so many there is no common denominator on which everyone agrees,” he said.

Patsalis said Cyprus had to take the “creative leap” so as to move forward.

The minister added that he would continue talking to all involved to achieve the highest consensus.

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.