The passing of the article “Strengthening of public health structures by private providers and private doctors to address needs that may endanger public health – Authorizing provision – Amendment of article 56 and replacement of par. 11 of article 71 of Law 4931/2022” ( ss article 65 of the psychiatric reform bill), “will be a permanent disincentive for the establishment of doctors with numerically deficient specialties in islands and areas with a demographic problem”, warns the Panhellenic Medical Association in a letter to the Parliament.

What does the psychiatric reform article define

The specific article definedthat “the private doctors who are employed with any employment relationship in Health Units that are contracted with the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) or are themselves contracted with the EOPYY, undertake through the above contracts the obligation to offer health services for addressing needs that may endanger public health, if requested and only for the absolutely necessary time. The provision of these services is done on a part-time basis, since the announcements to fill the positions have been fruitless, the expression of interest of private doctors to fill the vacant positions has been fruitless”. It also stipulates that “if private providers or private doctors contracted with EOPYY refuse to provide services, their contract with EOPYY is terminated. In addition, private doctors who refuse to provide services pursuant to the above paragraphs, whether they are contracted with EOPYY or not, are denied access to the Electronic Prescription System (ESIS) of the anonymous company with the name “Electronic Social Security Administration” ( IDIKA SA)”.

The letter of the Panhellenic Medical Association

“To the Parliament of the Hellenic Republic

Honorable and Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen,

The enactment of article 65 of the bill on mental health, in addition to the serious legislative flaws, as pointed out by the Legal Service of the Parliament, will forever harm and poison the relations of the entire medical world of the country with the Greek State. It will be a permanent disincentive for the establishment of doctors of numerically deficient specialties in islands and areas with a demographic problem, as well as a disincentive for choosing these specialties by new colleagues. They will be added to the disincentives of the contract with EOPYY and the institution of the personal physician. And their activation will result in the absolute inadequacy of health services in the said areas for the specific specialties. The medical world of the country has proven its consistency in its mission, solving the problem that emerged in communication for an incomprehensible reason since July 4, despite the threats, ironies, challenges and inconsistency of the Ministry of Health. It was preceded in full by the responsible exercise of our duties as advisor to the State, both the Panhellenic Medical Association and the local medical associations, with the timely highlighting of the problem (2022, 2023, January 2024) and the submission of applicable proposals that were ignored. After all, approximately the same problem was solved last year quietly and effectively through our cooperation initially with the then acting Minister of Health and then with her “inexperienced in health matters”, but effective, successor. In any case, today these provisions, in addition to being harmful, are also unnecessary. The declaration of non-issue of relevant ministerial provisions raises the reasonable question of the purpose of the law. Not only does it not reassure us, but it also deprives us of the possibility of recourse to the Greek Justice and European institutions and organizations. In medical terms, a condition similar to chronic osteomyelitis will be caused, that is, a condition with remissions and exacerbations, daily discomforts, dirty wounds, multiple surgical and therapeutic interventions that sometimes ends in amputation. And indeed it will be caused in the health sector which faces the development of chronic intractable problems with explosive dimensions. Problems which it is clear from the facts that the State, without the active participation of the medical world through its institutions, is unable to resolve. Ultimately, it is a shame to solve the corresponding problem of lack of pathologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, laboratory doctors of our European partners at the expense of our country.

The Panhellenic Medical Association and all the Medical Associations of the country appeal to avoid this critical mistake. After all, the prestige of doctors and the State is judged by solving and not by complicating problems.

Yours sincerely,

The president Dr. Athanasios Hexadaktylos

Secretary General Dimitris Varnavas”