Private hospitals warn of crisis as health ministry threatens closures

The employers and industrialists’ federation (Oev) expressed deep disappointment on Thursday with an ultimatum issued by the health ministry to private hospitals.

Oev warned that the threat to suspend operating licences over nursing shortages risks destabilising the entire healthcare system.

The federation accused the ministry of “shifting responsibility onto hospitals despite being long aware of a national deficiency of nurses” and failing to take practical steps to address the problem.

This follows a notice issued on November 28 to a private hospital in Nicosia, also operating within Gesy.

The circular informed of the ministry’s intention to suspend its licence because two departments were not adequately staffed.

The notice cited the absence of one night shift nurse on the medical ward and a shortage of six nurses in the surgical ward.

It also referred to the failure to present health certificates for ward assistants during a recent inspection.

The hospital has 15 days to submit written representations to the advisory committee for private hospitals.

Oev said the entire private sector is alarmed and accused the health ministry of ignoring repeated warnings since last summer.

It said private hospitals had been asking for immediate measures to help them comply, yet none of their proposals had been adopted, and argued that the situation has become untenable, with hospitals facing threats of closure even when “short of one or two nurses”.

Concerns have also been raised about the impact of recent agreements between nurses’ unions and the state health services organisation (Okypy), which will lead to the recruitment of up to 80 nurses for public hospitals.

Oev said most of these nurses currently work in the private sector and that their departure risks forcing private hospitals to close entire units, before adding that it has repeatedly asked the health ministry to ease the shortage by licensing nurses from third countries who hold appropriate qualifications.

This, it argues, would allow foreign graduates of Cypriot nursing schools to work as nurses in Cyprus, placing staff who do not speak Greek in roles without patient interaction, while also requiring a strong command of Greek for frontline staff.

It said last summer’s assurances that measures would be taken resulted only in a bill that offered no immediate relief.

The clash comes amid broader pressure across the health system.

Nurses’ unions have long warned that understaffing is an endemic facet to both public and private hospitals, contributing to burnout and outright resignation.

Opposition parties and professional associations have echoed these concerns, urging the state both to make nursing a more attractive profession and in turn, to address rising demand caused by an ageing population.

Official figures show 157 vacant nursing posts across state hospitals, while 153 nurses are on sick or maternity leave.

Staffing shortages have prompted unions to warn of potential strikes if agreements on recruitment are not honoured.

Looking ahead, Oev said the health ministry must now accept responsibility for the situation and decide whether it will ensure private hospitals are able to secure nursing staff or proceed with closures.

It warned that the consequences of inaction will be borne by patients, healthcare workers and the stability of the system itself.

Despite systemic strain, the government has highlighted improvements in emergency care.

During a recent visit to the Nicosia general hospital’s accident and emergency unit, President Nicos Christodoulides said the facility was performing with “minimal deviations” from international standards and would serve as a model for other hospitals.