Patients’ union raises concerns over personal doctor complaints

The patients’ union (Osak) has received complaints over the conduct of personal doctors within the general health system (Gesy), its president Miltos Miltiadous said on Monday, adding that isolated cases must be addressed. Miltiadous said the union had received both recent and previous complaints concerning the management of beneficiaries by specific personal doctors, while stressing that overall satisfaction with the institution remained high. “In isolated cases, improper behaviour has been observed, which for us as a federation is unacceptable,” he said. Among the complaints received, were beneficiaries reporting their removal from a personal doctor’s list after requesting a referral, while others claimed doctors refused to issue referrals, citing either a lack of medical justification or restrictions set by the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO). “The personal doctor is the pillar of the system,” Miltiadous said, adding that Gesy’s system was built around the role of the personal doctor and that measures were needed to address such issues. He said Osak had raised concerns in meetings and public interventions, including the need to review certain regulations affecting doctors and patients with chronic conditions. Some restrictions introduced during the early implementation of the health system had been necessary to prevent abuse, he said, but required reassessment. Miltiadous also called on patients to use health services responsibly, stressing that Gesy “belongs to everyone” and that its proper use was important for future generations. He added that Osak would continue working with the HIO and beneficiaries to improve the operation of the system.