in-cyprus 7 November 2024
A personal doctor in the national health system (GHS) illegally transferred a patient to his list without consent, whilst refusing to accept laboratory results from another patient, according to complaints filed with the Patient Rights Observatory in October.
The watchdog received 42 complaints last month, primarily concerning medication access, treatment procedures and obstacles in accessing healthcare services.
The alleged GP fraud came to light when a patient discovered she had been removed from her chosen doctor’s list without her knowledge. The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) investigation confirmed the patient had never had contact with the doctor who had added her to his list.
Sources familiar with the matter said the HIO is aware of at least one of the two complaints filed against the same doctor in October. Previous similar cases have been investigated by the organisation.
The Observatory also documented seven potential medical negligence cases, with some complainants either reporting to the police or receiving guidance to contact relevant authorities. Some citizens expressed reluctance to file formal complaints, citing scepticism about achieving justice through legal channels.
Elderly care emerged as a significant concern, with multiple complaints highlighting access difficulties to essential services. In one case, a patient was charged €100 for an ambulance transfer from a hospital to a care home. Another elderly patient faces a €3,000 care home bill following orthopaedic surgery, without financial means to cover the cost.
The report also highlighted issues with physiotherapy session limits under the national health scheme, forcing some elderly patients to pay privately for continued treatment.
A separate case involved an 80-year-old COVID-19 patient caught between hospital discharge and care home readmission due to continuing positive test results, despite no longer requiring hospitalisation.
Healthcare professionals can enrol patients in their lists if they have access to personal data such as ID numbers and birth dates, according to HIO procedures.
The Observatory noted ongoing issues with delayed reimbursements for patient escorts travelling abroad for treatment, a problem previously identified in September.
