Cyprus Mail 21 August 2019 - article by Lizzy Ioannidou
The cabinet on Wednesday agreed to raise the monthly financial incentive to A&E doctors from €800 to €1,200, in an attempt to tackle the severe understaffing issues at hospital emergency departments.
A proposal tabled by Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou was adopted by cabinet to encourage doctors to work at the overly busy A&E departments and provide an incentive for current staff to stay.
After a 24-hour strike was staged last month at the Nicosia general hospital’s A&E department over acute understaffing issues which doctors say put patients and staff at risk, Ioannou launched efforts in cooperation with the state health services (Okypy) and doctors’ unions in an attempt to secure additional personnel.
The staff shortages emerged after a wave of A&E doctors fled the hospital departments in June to join Gesy and open a private practice as GPs.
The result is that existing A&E doctors say they have been working without a break for months and creates an increased risk of medical errors.
