Counselling psychologists to be included in Cyprus's national health system

The Cypriot House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill on Thursday with 45 votes to integrate counselling psychologists into the General Health System (Gesy) as 'other health professionals'. The proposal, introduced by Dipa MP Alekos Tryfonides, aims to expand mental health access and reduce waiting times by allowing counselling psychologists to work alongside clinical psychologists. Despite the vote, the implementation timeline remains uncertain as the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) must first finalize consultations with professional psychological bodies. Disagreements persist regarding the scope of coverage, as psychologists advocate for a wide range of diagnoses while the HIO prefers a more limited initial list. Furthermore, the HIO had previously argued the legislation was unnecessary, claiming existing laws already empowered the organization to add new professional categories. The AKEL party expressed reservations about the legislative process, suggesting that such operational changes should be handled by the Health Ministry and HIO rather than parliament, citing concerns about political populism and procedural precedents.