The Pancyprian Association of Psychologists (PA.SY.PSY), in an open letter notified to the Minister of Health and the Health Committee of the Parliament, states that the specialty of Counseling Psychologist is a regulated specialty, which is assigned by law of the Republic of Cyprus needs to join GESS immediately.
The letter states, among other things, that "we are sadly watching the refusal of the Health Insurance Organization (OAY) for the inclusion of the specialty of Counseling Psychology in the General Health Plan, despite the agreement to the contrary with the professional unions that over time one year after the integration of the specialty of clinical psychology, the consultation for the integration of the specialty of counseling psychology would begin ”.
It adds that "the inclusion of the specialty of counseling psychologist and the approval of a separate budget for this specialty will have multiple benefits in the long run, as it will strengthen the system's ability to deal with multiple problems arising from poor mental health of the population."
“The OAW philosophy on mental health issues is not identical with the biopsychosocial model of understanding mental health. As a result, the provision of mental health services is psychiatric and therefore it is impossible to provide psychological services to people with mild depression, people with anxiety disorders, cancer patients, rheumatists, kidney patients, children and adults with psychosocial problems and many others. with chronic and serious physical illnesses or psychosocial problems ", it is added.
It is also reported that in this way there are "two-speed" patients, "as the only way for a person to receive psychological services of a psychologist is to go to the private sector at his own expense, which is contrary to the philosophy of the General Health Plan."