Finance ministry tables bills regulating nurses’ promotions

The finance ministry has requested with two bills that promotions to chief nursing officer be exempt from current regulations for interdepartmental upscaling, so that experienced nurses already carrying out the duties of the position can have a fair chance of being promoted.

The bills were presented to the House finance committee on Monday.

The finance ministry is asking that these positions remain promotion positions from A11 to A13 scale for nurses and mental health staff.

The A13 positions require a degree in nursing, which is not a prerequisite for other positions.

A health ministry representative said interdepartmental promotions would mean that the experience of those already carrying out the duties would be lost.

Pasydy general secretary Stratis Mattheou said that interdepartmental promotions would mean that over 1,000 people would be applying for two or three positions and it would disincentivise those already carrying out duties on the ward.

Pasyno agreed and pointed out that the exemption should also apply for the position of chief health visitor officer.

The finance committee asked the health ministry to examine the issue and return in a fortnight.