Patients’ rights bill passed by House

THE House on Thursday passed a law making patient involvement in policy-making mandatory, in what the bill’s sponsor DISY MP Stella Kyriakidou called a “historic day.”

The law provides that state agencies will consult with patients associations prior to making health policy decisions.

“A recurring problem has been that we discuss reforms only with health professionals and not with the patients themselves,” Kyriakidou said in a statement shortly after parliament voted the bill through.

“Our vision is for patients with chronic, rare and other diseases to have access to high-quality, patient-centred, health services. This bill strengthens their voice, so that the patients themselves participate in determining health policies, while at the same time raising awareness about their rights and obligations.”

The MP thanked the health minister for its support of the legislation.

The original bill was drafted back in 2011.

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