The Unified Union of Workers of the Phychiatric Hospital of Attica is raising the alarm over unacceptable working conditions. Overcrowded emergency rooms, a severe shortage of beds, the redirection of psychiatric care to general medicine, and a lack of cardiologists have pushed the system to a breaking point. Healthcare workers are being forced to rush psychiatric evaluations and even face legal threats.

In its statement, the union described the dire situation:

Psychiatric emergency services at the former Attica Psychiatric Hospital are overwhelmed, with most shifts exceeding capacity—even when using temporary folding beds. As a result, patients are constantly being transferred between psychiatric units. In cases of involuntary admissions, some are even sent back to detention simply because there are no available beds.

Overworked staff under legal pressure

At the same time, on-duty healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses, and psychologists—are facing challenges unrelated to their medical responsibilities. Their job is to assess and treat patients in mental distress, but they are now being threatened with legal action due to the lack of hospital beds in the public health system (ESY).

Additionally, staff members are being pressured to speed up admission procedures, often at the expense of patient care. With the current workload, it is impossible to conduct thorough and safe psychiatric evaluations to determine whether hospitalization is truly necessary.

A psychiatric hospital turned into a general medical unit

Following orders from the Medical Services Administration and the 2nd Regional Health Authority, psychiatric emergency services are being repurposed as a general medical unit—despite lacking the necessary infrastructure. This shift not only puts both patients and staff at risk but also further delays critical psychiatric evaluations, which should be the main priority in a mental health facility.

Instead of focusing on their core duties, psychiatrists are now being required to perform blood tests and electrocardiograms—even though a general medical clinic already exists within the former Attica Psychiatric Hospital.

Cardiology monitoring via instant messaging

Perhaps the most shocking measure: To address the shortage of cardiologists, hospital administrators have resorted to sending electrocardiograms via the Viber messaging app to an off-site cardiologist for review. This hospital treats around 300 patients daily across nine psychiatric clinics and chronic illness services, while also providing follow-up care for another 590 patients in the community. In these conditions, regular cardiology monitoring is virtually impossible—even in emergencies—since everything relies on a messaging app.

“This is what they call psychiatric reform: turning a specialized psychiatric hospital into a general-purpose care unit, where even healthcare professionals are expected to be ‘multifunctional’! The decline never stops!” denounces the Unified Union of Workers of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica

Source: 902.gr

______________________________________________

Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.

Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.