Trade union Pasydy has expressed serious concern over the inability of the treatment unit for addicted persons to operate, citing a shortage of mental health nursing staff.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the union said that the board of the mental health nursing staff branch of Pasydy held a regular meeting last week.

Among the topics discussed was the completion of the first phase of the new Athalassa psychiatric hospital, which includes two admission wards and the treatment unit for addicted persons.

The union welcomed the successful completion of the first phase, calling it “an important step towards improving services for individuals with mental health issues and ensuring humane working conditions for the staff”.

Regarding the issues surrounding the treatment unit for addicted persons, the union said that during meetings with state health services Okypy in April and May, they had warned of this development, but no action was taken.

“It is imperative that the issue of staffing with adequate and specialised personnel is addressed to ensure the smooth operation of the new psychiatric hospital and the provision of high-quality mental health services to everyone,” the statement said.