Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides on Wednesday called on stakeholders to submit recommendations to tackle the criticised nurses shortage in hospitals, with a meeting on the matter scheduled for January.

The call follows a first meeting between Charalambides and involved parties, aimed at exchanging opinions on how the issue could be resolved. The suggestions must be submitted within one week.

Another meeting on the matter is scheduled after the submissions have been received and evaluated to proceed with the drafting of solutions to combat the shortage.

Nursing and midwifery unions had on Tuesday rejected claims that staff shortages are responsible for the suspension of a clinic’s operating licence, blaming the crisis on management failures.

In a joint statement, the union’s nursing branches Pasynm, Peo and Pasydy, said it remained unclear whether reported shortages relate to new facilities or expansions of existing ones.

The groups warned of a lack of adequate planning following a rapid increase in hospital beds as initiated by the national health service (Gesy), saying that these additions had contributed to long waiting lists and the regular use of sick leave by nursing staff, which they cited as evidence of systemic strain.