Newsroom
A new Rapid Response Clinic is set to launch at Paphos General Hospital this June, offering faster care to patients with less urgent needs and aiming to ease pressure on the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.
The clinic, which will operate as a pilot program starting June 2, will serve patients with mild or non-life-threatening issues, those typically placed in triage categories 4 and 5. These are people who still need prompt medical attention but don't require full A&E resources.
“This is about less waiting, more care, and better quality of life,” said Health Minister Michael Damianos, announcing the new service during a press conference at the hospital on Tuesday. “It’s another step toward a more modern, efficient, and humane health system.”
The clinic will run daily from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will be staffed by a doctor and a nurse practitioner. Patients will still go through the usual triage process upon arrival, but those with non-urgent issues will be redirected to the new unit for faster treatment. The goal is to reduce long waits and free up emergency doctors to focus on more critical cases.
The model has already been tested at Nicosia General Hospital since March and has treated nearly 480 patients. Encouraged by the early results, health authorities are now expanding the initiative to Paphos.
OKYPY Director General Cyprus Stavrinides praised the new service, saying it gives “immediate solutions to hundreds of our fellow citizens who need simple but prompt care.” He added that even with ongoing construction at the hospital, staff managed to prepare the new clinic space efficiently and safely.
The three-month pilot will be closely monitored to assess its impact. If successful, it could become a permanent feature and possibly expand to other hospitals across the island.
“This is about real people, not just numbers,” Stavrinides said. “Faster care means real relief, and that’s what matters.”
