The old Latsia health centre is to be converted into a hostel to house people suffering from long term mental illness, which will also help prevent congestion on the Athalassa psychiatric hospital, the national health service (Okypy) announced on Tuesday.

The facility will have a total of 11 beds and will cater for those with chronic problems who are not a danger to themselves and can be rehabilitated into the community.

These people, according to the announcement, will have been assessed and it’s deemed that they no longer need compulsory hospitalisation although they currently remain there as there is no family or community system to take care of them.

The hostel will be staffed with specialised mental health professionals 24 hours a day seven days a week.

“Our efforts through this project are on the one hand to deinstitutionalise and provide a more humane environment to people with mental health problems who can return to the community and on the other hand, decongest the Athalassa Hospital,” Okypy director of mental health services Anna Paradisiotou said.