RIOT police clashed with medical staff at an Athens public hospital today during a protest over the state of public health services held during a visit to the facility by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Police fired volleys of pepper spray and used shields and batons to push away doctors at the University General Hospital Attikon, who were demanding to meet with Mr Mitsotakis.

The health workers were protesting against staff shortages, low pay and poor working conditions.

Mr Mitsotakis, accompanied by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, was visiting the hospital in western Athens to attend the inauguration of a new oncology department and visit the refurbished emergency department.

“They think we’re going to thank them because they owe us 10,000 days of leave,” said Giorgos Sideris of the Association of Hospital Doctors of Athens and Piraeus.

“They think we’re going to thank them for keeping our salaries frozen.”

Dr Sideris, who works at the hospital, said 130 patients had recently been sleeping on stretchers in corridors due to overcrowding and that an extra 125 nursing staff were urgently needed “just to operate at a safe level.”