Cabinet approves creation of ‘patient advocate’

Cabinet on Thursday approved a bill which will create the role of a “patient advocate”, Health Minister Michael Damianos said.

Speaking after the meeting, he said there had been a “constant demand” for such a role to be created, on the part of patients, concerned citizens, and political parties.

“The bill’s passing will be an important step to benefit both society at large and patients,” he added.

He said his ministry is now “taking a decisive step towards safeguarding patients’ rights, both inside and outside Gesy”, and that the provisions set out in the bill “are crucial to the empowerment of patients’ rights and the improvement of the quality of health services in this country.”

Speaking of the patient advocate’s role, he said the eventual appointee will “have the authority to examine complaints and reports concerning patients’ rights”, while also “providing information and updates, and organising educational programmes and campaigns to raise awareness about patients’ rights.”

Additionally, he said, the bill provides for the creation of an advisory committee to support the patient advocate’s work, while the role of the complaint review committees “is being strengthened across the country” and will now handle complaints both inside and outside Gesy.

“Therefore, this bill is not just a piece of legislation, it is a statement of our commitment to support patients, safeguard their rights, and raise the quality of health services provided,” he said.

He then called on parliament to quickly take the bill to a vote.

Earlier, at the beginning of the meeting, President Nikos Christodoulides spoke of how the promise of the role’s creation is part of “our social contract with the Cypriot people”.

“I have spoken many times about the health sector and the upgrading of the services provided, which is one of our government’s main priorities,” he said.

He added that his government “puts the patient and their rights at the centre of our political decisions”.

He described the role as “a longstanding demand patients have had, which is aimed at strengthening the protection of patients’ rights and raising the level in relation to patients’ rights at the European level.”

He added that he had promised to create the role during the election campaign, before going on to define what the role would entail.

“It will have the authority to examine the complaints and reports which concern patients’ rights, not only within Gesy but also outside, and to undertake, among other things, a campaign of providing information,” he said.

He also spoke of the patient advocate’s role in “preparing relevant proposals” to “improve institutions”.

In addition to the patient advocate, he said, the government will also form an advisory committee, which will “support the work and actions of the patient advocate”.

As well as this, he said, the government will “strengthen the role and responsibilities of the patient complaint review committees”.

Damianos had announced at the end of last month that legislation to create the role of a patient advocate had been prepared.

He said he planned for the bill to be submitted alongside another, which will terminate the duties of Gesy’s supervision commissioner and transfer those responsibilities to the ministry.

Concerns had at the time been raised regarding the termination of the duties of the supervision commissioner, with civil servants working under the commissioner reportedly concerned that they may lose their job when the office is closed.

However, Damianos was keen to offer reassurances, telling newspaper Phileleftheros that “no one will lose their job or their role as a civil servant.”

“Let me make it clear that the institution of the Gesy supervision commissioner will not be abolished, but rather have its responsibilities transferred to a separate department with its own departmental head inside the health ministry,” he said.

He added, “the commissioner’s responsibilities regarding the problems and complaints of patients will then be transferred to the patient advocate.”

The bill has won the encouragement of the federation of Cyprus patients’ associations (Osak), with federation secretary Marios Charalambides saying the health sector “finally needs to be reconciled and reform finally needs to be led in the right direction.”

“The creation of a patient advocate will fill a very large gap,” he said, adding, “Osak agrees to this change because the health ministry must change its role and supervise and control the entire health sector, the proper functioning of Gesy, and the way in which the health insurers’ organisation (HIO) operates.”

On the role of the patient advocate, he said, “the advocate will have the obligation to support and advocate in favour of patients and promote their rights where necessary. Patients need their advocate.”

The idea for the creation of a patient advocate had first been floated in 2021, with then-Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela announcing his intention to appoint a “patients’ rights commissioner”.

The matter picked up speed at the beginning of this year, with Michael Damianos announcing in January that the matter of reforming Cyprus’ health sector was “unfinished business”.

He said he would submit bills to parliament this year “to give healthcare providers the tools to do their jobs more properly, so we can provide a comprehensive health service in our country.”