Private hospitals are struggling to keep their nursing staff afloat, as a huge influx continues to move to the public sector – that offers the unbeatable perk of a job for life.
Marinos Soteriou, a doctor working with the private sector, told the Cyprus Mail on Friday that although private hospitals are offering equally competitive salaries, it is impossible to compete with public hospitals.
“They offer a career progression that is not dependent necessarily on skill and performance. It is influenced more by partisanship, unions and a whole host of other factors.”
Marios Karaiskakis, head of private hospitals association told Philenews a meeting was held earlier this week with the nurses and midwives’ association (Pasynm), patients federation and the relevant department of the health ministry.
“Even the nursing staff that we have disappears from the private sector overnight when the state health services organisation calls them to take on duties at state hospitals. They feel there is stronger job security even if the salaries between the public and private sector do not differ greatly.”