The Joint Ministerial Decision on the operation of afternoon surgeries signed by Health Minister Adonis Georgiades, Deputy Health Minister Marios Themistokleous and Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Athanasios Petralias was published in the Government Gazette.
The decision concerns the possibility of surgical and other interventional operations after the end of regular working hours, i.e. in the evening hours and until 10 o’clock in the evening, according to its provisions.
“With a plan and vision for the health transition to the Health of Tomorrow, we are introducing the institution of evening surgeries with the aim, on the one hand, to reduce the waiting lists of patients waiting to be operated on and, on the other hand, to increase the incomes of doctors and nurses working in the National Health System.
From now on, thousands of patients waiting months to years for surgery will be able to find a way out in evening surgeries at a cost much lower than a private clinic.
I have great faith in this measure and I believe that it will be immediately embraced by both hospital staff and patients.
We are steadily continuing with the reforms for a National Health System worthy of the expectations of Greek citizens,” said Health Minister Adonis Georgiades on the occasion of the signing of the EIA, who noted in yesterday’s statements that afternoon surgeries will start in the coming weeks.
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Themistocleous, noted that “the afternoon surgeries, a system successfully implemented in all European health systems, aim to contribute to reducing waiting times and boost the salaries of NHS staff.
With transparency and control, ensuring the smooth operation of regular surgeries, we are giving our fellow citizens an additional option by making the most of the NHS’s potential.
Our aim is to serve as many of our fellow citizens as possible directly and efficiently by providing them with high-quality services.
The €60 million funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund to perform over 50,000 surgeries that have been on hold for months and the Single Digital Surgery List are essential steps in this direction.”
The operations and staff fees
As the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Health had announced at a press conference, the operations are divided into six categories depending on their severity and for each category a certain amount is set to be paid by the citizens.
For a very minor operation the total amount for the patient is 300 euros, for a minor operation 500 euros, for a medium operation 900 euros, for a major operation 1,200 euros, for a major operation 1,600 euros and for an extremely severe operation 2,000 euros.
As regards the fees of the surgical team performing operations outside regular working hours, the first surgeon or coordinating director will receive from 125 euros for a very minor operation to 1,000 euros for an extremely serious operation.
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The Director or Associate Professor will be paid from 110 euros for very minor surgery to 900 euros for extremely heavy surgery, while the range for Attending and Assistant Professors will be from 105 euros to 850 euros.
As for anaesthetists, their pay for very minor operations will be EUR 90, for minor operations EUR 155, for medium operations EUR 245, for major operations EUR 350, for major operations EUR 400 and for very major operations EUR 450.
Paramedical, nursing and other staff necessary for the operation of the operating theatres, in addition to regular working hours, shall be paid EUR 15 per hour worked after regular working hours.
Where the remuneration due to medical and other staff exceeds the total amount paid by the patient per operating theatre, it shall be adjusted pro rata up to the amount paid by the patient.
