Health Minister announces Fast-Track Clinics in A&E Departments

Health Minister Michalis Damianos announced the opening of Fast-Track Clinics in the Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) of the General Hospitals in Nicosia and Paphos during a press conference at the Paphos General Hospital, noting that the health of citizens is a top priority.

Damianos said this initiative is a key step in improving health services and is part of a plan to modernise the health system. The goal is to enhance patient service and manage the increased demands of the A&E departments.

He noted that a pilot programme for the Fast-Track Clinic started at the Nicosia General Hospital to assess its effectiveness. Since March 31, 2025, this initiative has served 479 patients, producing encouraging results. Based on this success, the programme will expand to Paphos.

The Paphos Fast-Track Clinic will begin operating on Monday, June 2, 2025, and will run for three months. During this time, they will evaluate how well this new approach works for emergency cases.

The clinic will be located in a specially designed area within the A&E, ensuring patient safety and quick access to necessary medical services. It will handle cases classified as levels 4 and 5, providing them with the needed care without adding pressure to the main A&E.

The clinic will operate daily from 14:30 to 21:30 and will be staffed by a medical officer and a nurse. Non-urgent cases will be referred to the Fast-Track Clinic for quick service.

At the end of this pilot phase, they will review the clinic’s effectiveness and decide on its future.

Kypros Stavrinides, the General Director of State Health Services Organisation (SHSO), stated that these clinics will offer immediate care to hundreds of citizens daily. He highlighted that the service will be more direct, humane, and efficient.

He also explained that patient cases will be sorted using triage, allowing quick management of patients classified as levels 4 and 5 in the specialised area of the A&E.

(Source: CNA)