The flu vaccine will be given without a prescription

The organization of a separate health system, which will provide palliative care services, is being established for the first time in Greece with a bill submitted to the Parliament.

The bill «Comprehensive Palliative Care System - Arrangements for the response to the pandemic of the coronavirus COVID-19 and the protection of public health and other provisions» establishes a National Registry of Palliative Health Care Patients to ensure the quality of life of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases, through the prevention and relief of pain and other physical, psychosocial and mental problems.

«The purpose of the bill is to create an integrated system of palliative care, which, in combination with the other existing structures of the National Health System, will focus on and serve the specialized needs of patients and their families,» according to the Ministry of Health.

More specifically, the bill includes:

1. The creation and organisation of a system of palliative care services,

2. The definition of palliative care facilities and the minimum quality criteria for their operation and the definition of how and how much they are compensated for the services they provide.

3. The provision for the establishment of a multidisciplinary team of health professionals for the provision of specialised palliative care, as well as the possibility of training for all health professionals providing palliative care services.

4. Provision for the establishment of a national register of palliative health care patients; and

5. The establishment and the delineation of the responsibilities of the National Committee for the Development of Palliative Care as an interdisciplinary advisory body, which will assist the Central Health Council (CCHR) and the Ministry of Health in the formulation of the central national policy for the development of Palliative Care.

Also, the provisions of the bill renew for one year the contracts of auxiliary health personnel and renew the Fixed Term Contracts.

At the same time, as announced by Health Minister Thanos Plevris, the contracts of all those hired to fill the vacancies are renewed, regardless of the return to their duties of employees who were suspended.

Regarding the influenza vaccination in the period 2022-2023, it is stipulated that the flu vaccine is reimbursed by EOPYY and other insurance funds, without the need for a medical prescription.