Delays and Shortcomings at A&E Departments: Patient Waited 11 Hours

The Audit Office identified delays and shortcomings at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments of Nicosia and Limassol General Hospitals during a surprise inspection on October 1, 2025.

The audit confirmed the presence of on-call doctors but highlighted issues such as malfunctioning CT scanners, delays in issuing medical reports, and prolonged waiting times. In one case, a patient waited for 11 hours and 28 minutes.

Furthermore, improper implementation of patient admission procedures and the absence of a legal framework for telemedicine were noted.

The Audit Office expressed concerns about OKYpY's practice of not having critical specialties available in all hospitals in its network, such as neurosurgery at Limassol General Hospital.

Delays in issuing medical reports for X-rays were also identified, increasing the risk of delayed recognition of pathological findings.

OKYpY management acknowledged that part of the waiting time is due to hours when on-call doctors are only informed about emergencies, as well as disagreements between clinical directors.