Deputy Health Minister Marios Themistocleous said monthly free hospital appointments in Greece had increased significantly, surpassing 550,000 from 350,000.
Speaking to ACTION 24, Themistocleous outlined a broad plan to strengthen the National Health System (Greece), including new hires, infrastructure upgrades, and improved patient services.
He said the 2026 plan included 8,000 additional hires, comprising 5,000 permanent positions and 3,000 auxiliary staff. Ongoing recruitment procedures through ASEP covered nursing and other staff roles, while a new announcement for 850 permanent doctor positions across the country was expected within weeks. Additional hiring processes for primary healthcare would follow.
Themistocleous identified the shortage of nursing staff as the system’s most pressing issue, noting that it remained a Europe-wide challenge affecting countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany. He said the government planned to introduce a separate nursing sector to allow greater flexibility in hiring and targeted incentives.
He highlighted improvements in hospital appointment services, stating that the number of citizens booking and attending appointments had risen by nearly 25% each month.
The deputy minister also reported significant progress in emergency departments, where a tracking system using wristbands and infrastructure upgrades had reduced average waiting times from nine hours a year ago to four and a half hours.
He added that hospital renovations were ongoing and expected to be completed within the next four months.
Regarding patient feedback, Themistocleous said the hospital evaluation system was operating effectively, with more than 40,000 responses recorded. According to the data, 75% of patients rated their hospitalisation as good or very good, while 92% said they were able to find a doctor in the required specialty.
He also noted that donations played a key role in supporting the public health system, citing transparency and efficiency as factors that had strengthened trust.
In particular, he highlighted a €10 million donation from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, which supported 80 doctors working on 47 small Greek islands with populations under 4,000. The initiative provided an additional €1,500 net per doctor, with local authorities often covering housing costs.
