Doctors no-show for meeting with Okypy over pay

Doctors working at public hospitals did not turn up to a meeting which would have aimed to distribute performance-based bonuses paid by the state health services (Okypy).

Okypy had a month ago offered a lump sum of €4.1 million to be distributed to doctors for their performance in 2023, but state doctors’ union Pasyki rejected the figure and instead called for an independent analysis of the work done by doctors to determine how much was owed.

The independent analysis found that a much lower figure – €2.5m – was actually owed, infuriating doctors.

In response, they failed to turn up to Monday’s meeting, with Pasyki chairman Sotiris Koumas saying that procedure with regard to the analysis had not been correctly carried out.

“Our position is that the procedure was not followed as agreed, while the part of the analysis which has been leaked is just a part. It is not the entire study, the conclusions, and the recommendation made by the financial analyst,” he told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

He said that with this in mind, he “looks forward” to seeing the analysis in its entirety and “would be very happy to discuss it”.

“However, we also regret the fact that Okypy sent us this part of the study without discussing it with us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou was keen to point out that the given figure of €2.5m is “much smaller” than what doctors had originally claimed earlier in the year – a figure he said had amounted to more than €5m.

He was also keen to conclude proceedings and swiftly reach an agreement with Pasyki based on the analysis.

“There was a commitment from both sides that any outcome [from the analysis] would be acceptable. We on our side will keep our word and distribute the €2.5m to the doctors. We have invited the doctors’ unions to come today for that money to be distributed, but from what we have heard … they will not come, which is a shame,” he said.

He also disagreed with Koumas’ claim that only part of the study had been disclosed, saying, “the independent analysts sent the results of their analysis to us, and that was sent on to the unions in its entirety.”

“There is nothing else which should have been sent and that was not sent, as they are implying.”