Grace period expected to allow private clinics to stay open

A GRACE period for clinics to meet the legal requirement for the minimum number of nursing staff looks set to be extended for another two years, after almost two thirds of clinics failed to live up to standard.
The law was activated on January 1, 2008 after the Cyprus Medical Association requested a postponement two years ago, as there was not enough nursing staff to meet the law’s provisions.

A special team from the Health Ministry started carrying out checks at the start of the year, only to find that out of the 54 private hospitals visited, four had to suspend operations temporarily due to lack of staff.

Furthermore, 27 clinics have received warning letters that if they don’t increase their staff, they too will have to suspend operations.

Speaking to the House Health Committee on Thursday, the head of the Medical Association, Dr Andreas Demetriou, said an estimated 70 per cent of the remaining 29 clinics were expected to fail checks.
Two thirds of the clinics, mainly small and gynaecological ones, will need to suspend operations if the law is strictly adhered to.

According to the head of the Nursing Services, Angeliki Tapakkoudi, private hospitals need a further 340 nurses in order to satisfy legal provisions, a figure they are expected to achieve in two years’ time.

Demetriou agreed. With an increase in Nursing School students and the operation of the private nursing schools, the problem is expected to be reduced.
“We are at least proposing an extension for another three years until January 2011,” said Demetriou.

Asked yesterday whether the law could lead to the closure of all private clinics, the Association’s Vice President Marios Philippou said: “Of course not. They will give an extension because there is no other way out.”

The Chairman of the House Health Committee, Eleni Theocharous of DISY, said an official decision had not yet been made.

“We will have to hear the official positions of the political parties and Health Minister, as well as the President of the Republic, before any solutions can be found,” she said yesterday.

“I believe an extension will be given because there is no other choice. We may be forced into approving the extension.”
The issue will be discussed again on Thursday.

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