Patient Ombudsman reports 534 complaints in four months

Between May 1 and August 31, 2026, the office of the Patient Ombudsman in Cyprus received 534 formal complaints and requests regarding healthcare services. These figures, reported as an average of over 130 cases per month, consist of 293 written complaints and 241 verbal inquiries. The data indicates that 843 specific references were made to potential violations of patient rights, with approximately 20 percent of written complaints directed at Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E).

Patient Ombudsman Marios Charalambides, nearing his first year in the position, described the reporting mechanism as a useful tool for tracking everyday issues. He noted that while these complaints highlight problems such as quality of care, waiting times, and patient inconvenience, they represent only one indicator of the broader healthcare landscape. Charalambides emphasized that many of these matters concern routine administrative and service-related issues, which, if ignored, could escalate into more significant systemic failures.

The office intends to continue monitoring these trends as the public becomes increasingly familiar with the mechanism. The Ombudsman expects that the utilization of this platform will grow over time, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of patient rights compliance within the Republic of Cyprus.