“I have unlimited respect for you, your role is very serious and I see you as partners and I want you to see me as a partner”, emphasized the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, addressing all the administrators of hospitals and Health Regions, during a conference held is being held from the morning at the National Gallery of Athens. However, he called, in a strict tone, the administrators to continue their work with the main objective of serving the citizen.

“Not everything is as black as it is presented for the NSS. We have a common goal to make the NHS work better,” said Mr. Georgiadis, noting: “I am not under the illusion that we will be able to solve everything by magic, nor that we can do it perfectly. There is no people in the world who say they are happy with the health system. And well, citizens always ask for something more.”

As the health minister told the hospital administrators, one of his first decisions was the decision made by the previous leadership to re-evaluate the administrations in the hospitals.

“It creates anxiety for many because the process doesn’t guarantee your tenure and frustration for others that they can’t even apply. If there is anyone who doesn’t want to continue say so today. Those of you who stay will have to work,” he pointed out.

“Cooperation during this period of 7-8 months that the process will last will be my main criterion for your evaluation”, underlined Mr. Georgiadis and added: “We will monitor in real time the performance in each clinic if you do well your job, you have no reason to fear being fired. I will see the efficiency indicators and listen to the citizens. I don’t have friends, I don’t need anyone to call me, and I have no criteria other than your work.”

The Minister of Health emphasized that “since 2014, the total operating expenses in hospitals have doubled, which shows that the state is doing everything possible to support health” and added: “One of your main responsibilities is the control of expenses. You have the sole responsibility to adhere to the budgets. Administrations that I will see month after month that fall outside the budget should know that they will not continue.”

“The waits are a thorn in the NHS,” he said, adding that “the effort of the administrations that will be present to resolve the issue of the waits on the spot will be duly appreciated. I will monitor the average reduction of time in emergency rooms and it will be a key evaluation indicator.”

Mr. Georgiadis spoke of prioritizing serious incidents in surgeries, but, as he said, “in the single list of surgeries, I will not tolerate corruption and inequalities. There will be a check and data on the surgery lists as well.”

“We will soon announce serious reforms that will contribute to the substantial improvement of the NHS. We will give doctors the opportunity to make more legal money”, pointed out the Minister of Health and concluded by addressing the administrators: “I will raid the hospitals and the evaluation will be continuous. I want you to find solutions where others find problems. I don’t want us to waste a single 24 hours until a problem is solved.”