A total of 534 patient complaints and requests, both written and verbal, were recorded during the first four months of operation of the Patient Rights Officers, with the quality of care, timeliness, the avoidance of unnecessary inconvenience, and information being among the main issues raised, while two out of every ten written complaints concern TAEP.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency on the occasion of the nearly one-year anniversary of taking office, the Patient Ombudsman, Marios Charalambides, described the mechanism as “a good tool,” noting, however, that individual complaints are “one of the indicators” and not the complete picture of the state of patients’ rights in Cyprus.

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From May 1 to August 31, 2026, 293 written complaints and 241 verbal requests were recorded—that is, more than 130 per month. The written complaints included a total of 843 references to categories of rights that may have been violated.

“People have started to make use of the mechanism,” says Mr. Charalambidis, estimating that over time the mechanism will be utilized even more.

Most cases involve everyday issues

According to the Patient Ombudsman, the data did not reveal any particular surprises, as “most issues are everyday matters.”

As he explains, these are often “tiny little things” that, if left unresolved, can escalate and ultimately create a much bigger problem.

“So, the things we talk about—waiting times, patient inconvenience, procedures, management, and service—there are always a great many of them,” he notes.

“Quality” isn’t just about medical errors

Quality of care is the most frequently cited category in written complaints, with 98 reports, or 33% of the total.

When asked what exactly patients are complaining about when they refer to quality, Mr. Charalambidis clarifies that it is not limited to medical errors. “Let me set aside the issue of medical errors,” he says, adding that the agency also examines issues of negligence, service, and continuity of care.

Quality, he explains, also involves “the proper handling and management of each case, with professionalism, and always acknowledging a person’s vulnerability when they are facing any issue.”

Time and Inconvenience

Respect for the patient’s time is the second most common category in written complaints, with 88 reports, while the avoidance of unnecessary inconvenience and pain follows with 80.

Mr. Charalambidis notes that these two categories pertain to many provisions of the relevant legislation and touch on a large part of patients’ daily lives.

Regarding “reasonable” waiting times, he emphasizes that no absolute time limit can be set, as “it depends on the case.”

“In any case, there must be a framework and certain limits,” he says, noting that there are also “fine lines,” since a waiting time that may be considered reasonable in one case might constitute a violation of the patient’s rights in another.

TAEP: “Time is certainly a key criterion”

Referring to Accident and Emergency Departments (AEDs), the Patient Ombudsman notes that issues remain regarding patient care.

As he points out, the problems are not limited to patient transport and referrals, but also concern the actual care provided within the A&E departments.

“Some steps have been taken recently, but we are not yet at a point where one could say that this issue has been resolved,” he notes.

According to data from his office, approximately two out of ten written complaints concern emergency departments. Among these complaints, nearly one in two relates to the prevention of unnecessary discomfort and pain.

Mr. Charalambidis also emphasizes the importance of keeping patients informed while they wait in the ER.

“Even in these situations, there are often times when someone could go and provide a little information to the patients, give them an idea of what’s going on, and reassure them,” he says.

As he explains, a patient may wait several hours without receiving any updates, a fact that, he says, “certainly makes the situation worse.”

“It’s not just about time for time’s sake. It’s also about the time I spend waiting—what updates I receive, what information I have. These are things that need to be addressed comprehensively,” he notes.

Information: It’s not enough for the patient to be informed; they must understand

Information is also a significant part of the complaints, with 71 written reports, accounting for 24%.

The Patient Advocate links this issue directly to informed consent and points out that “information must be accompanied by confirmation of understanding.”

“It’s one thing to be informed, and another to actually understand,” he says, explaining that the information provided must also be tailored to the needs of each patient.

As he notes, special attention is required when a person has difficulty understanding specialized terms or when dealing with an older patient.

“We must ensure that the person has understood what we have explained to them or what we have asked them to consent to,” he says.

When asked by KYPE whether there are cases in which patients consent to treatment without having truly understood what is going to happen, he replies: “Such cases have existed and still exist.”

Public and Private Sectors

Regarding the distribution of complaints between the public and private sectors, Mr. Charalambidis emphasizes that a direct comparison cannot be made due to differences in the volume of activity, the nature of the incidents, and the departments available at each hospital.

The data show that 62% of written complaints and 58% of verbal requests concern the public sector.

“You can’t make a direct comparison,” he reiterates, noting that the issues affect both sectors.

At this stage, however, Mr. Charalambidis notes that no definitive conclusions can be drawn as to whether specific categories of problems pertain more to the public or private sector. As he points out, other methods of evaluation and feedback are needed to form “a more reliable and better-documented picture.”

As of October 1, the District Committees

On October 1, the final component of the individual complaint management mechanism—the District Complaint Review Committees—became operational.

As the Patient Ombudsman explains, if a patient receives a response to their written complaint from the Patient Rights Officer and is not satisfied with it, they may appeal to the District Committee.

The patient must submit their complaint and the reasons for requesting a review, and the Committee will reassess the case.

According to Mr. Charalambides, the Committee has one month from the date it receives the complaint to complete its review.

“There are many issues, and they are all interconnected.”

When asked to comment on the overall picture emerging from the institution’s first few months of operation, Mr. Charalambides emphasizes that the health sector faces many interconnected issues.

“If only we could press a button and change things overnight,” he tells CNA.

As he explains, in order to address a specific problem, all other related aspects must also be examined, since another issue may affect efforts to resolve the first one.

In conclusion, the Patient Advocate emphasizes that “quality, time, inconvenience, and information go hand in hand,” noting the need for everyone to cooperate and contribute to identifying practices that violate patients’ rights and to promoting corrective actions.

Source: CNA