Steps had been taken on Thursday in direction of the creation of a brand new ambulance service, with Well being Minister Michael Damianos attending the Home well being committee to place ahead his place on the matter.
After the committee assembly, he stated he had knowledgeable members of the federal government’s intention to finalise the invoice to create a brand new ambulance service, and a nationwide ambulance authority, thus eradicating ambulances from the state well being companies (Okypy)’s management.
He stated the invoice to do that will quickly be submitted to the authorized service to be reviewed and can then be submitted to parliament earlier than the top of the 12 months.
“The invoice will cowl each the manning of ambulances with specialised personnel in addition to the classes of ambulances, and what every class can present within the context of its licence class,” he stated.
To this finish, he stated the committee had additionally mentioned the distinction between emergency ambulances and affected person switch ambulances, with personal ambulances to have the ability to perform affected person switch companies.
“On this approach, the emergency service itself will likely be decongested, facilitating a extra environment friendly operation,” he stated.
He then reiterated the significance of separating emergency ambulances from affected person switch companies, saying, “once you name 112 for a right away ambulance it’s completely different from a scheduled switch.”
Talking after the assembly, committee chairman and Disy MP Efthimios Diplaros stated he expects the ambulance authority to be fully impartial and never linked to the well being ministry.
“We don’t need one other service which operates underneath the well being ministry,” he stated.
Akel MP Christos Christofias stated he’s “in favour of the creation of an impartial authority for sufferers’ pursuits”.
Damianos’ proposal appears to largely fulfill the needs of the federation of Cyprus sufferers’ associations (Osak), which had earlier within the 12 months steered {that a} nationwide ambulance authority be created.
In July, Osak consultant Miltos Miltiadous had stated an absence of presidency motion on the problem was making the federation “uncomfortable”, having already submitted to the federal government three choices for a way a nationwide ambulance may function.
The primary choice would entail the creation of a deputy ministry or an “impartial disaster service”, which might have as a part of its scope the operation of all emergency companies, whereas the second-best can be that favoured by Diplaros – the creation of an impartial ambulance authority.
The third choice can be to create an ambulance division underneath the well being ministry’s management.
Osak’s intervention got here days after Limassol medical centre director Andreas Pantazis had known as for personal ambulances to be included in Gesy.
In an explosive letter written to Damianos, he stated the present system, whereby personal hospitals which be a part of Gesy are obliged to have their very own ambulances however can not use them for Gesy functions is “discriminatory” and “endangers lives”.
Underneath this method, personal hospitals which have Gesy sufferers who require ambulance transport request an ambulance from Gesy, which then sends an ambulance operated by Okypy.
“We contemplate it unacceptable and unthinkable to have ambulances and never be entitled to serve our sufferers with them, anticipating Okypy to serve us with every day delays and be ready hours for an ambulance,” Pantazis stated.
