In the last year the situation in the Polish wellness service has deteriorated significantly. According to a fresh survey conducted by the Pollster investigation Institute commissioned by the “Super Express”, as many as 66% of Poles negatively measure the current situation in the wellness system. The average waiting time for a single wellness service in October and November last year was 4.2 months – this is the longest waiting period since 2012, erstwhile the Watch wellness Care Foundation began its measurements. This is disturbing data for the Donald Tusk government and the wellness minister of Isabella Leschina.
Two thirds of Poles disappointed in wellness care
The Pollster survey, carried out by the CAWI method on 17-18 January 2025 on a example of 1004 respondents, revealed that as many as 66% of respondents assessed the situation in the wellness service negatively. Only 22 percent think that the situation is good, while 12 percent have no opinion on it.
Bolesław Piecha, a PiS MP and erstwhile wellness minister, commented unequivocally on the results of the survey in an interview with “Super Express”: "The situation is bad and there are no changes on the horizon to improve. There is no proposal for improvement or ideas for financing wellness care. Donald Tusk appointed Minister Isabella Leschina, who should not be in that position. Poles are right in assessing the full situation."
NFZ financial charges and no circumstantial solutions
On the another hand, Bartosz Arłukowicz, erstwhile Minister of wellness and MEP of the Civic Coalition, pointed to erstwhile decisions of the Law and Justice Government as a origin of current problems in the wellness system. ‘PiS governments have transferred expenditure from the state budget to the NFZ. This includes the most costly procedures specified as medical rescue or HIV treatment. As a result, the NFZ budget was charged with another billion zlotys. This situation requires peculiar action to be taken by the Minister of Lestin’.
Despite this argument, many experts stress that concrete improvement proposals have inactive not been presented to the public.
Experts warn: wellness services have been neglected for years
Prof. Kazimierz Kik, sociologist from Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, points out the long-term problems in the public service sector: "We have long had a negative trend in public services, including education. They're underfunded, neglected, but wellness care is the first place here. The problem is besides that the ministers are not nominated specialists, but organization officials."
The deficiency of strategical reforms and under-financing of the wellness strategy lead to patients waiting for months for basic benefits. Social concerns are growing, and public opinion clearly shows that it expects real action.
Summary: what next with Polish wellness care?
After a year of Donald Tusk's rule, the wellness strategy has been in its worst condition for years – evidence long queues to doctors, deficiency of reforms and uncertainty about further backing of the strategy make Poles without illusions about the current situation. The government is facing a immense challenge, which requires not only immediate action, but besides a long-term wellness service recovery strategy. Will politicians respond to increasing social discontent, or will wellness problems deepen?
Read more:
Poles dissatisfied with wellness care after a year of Tusk's rule. evidence queues and no reforms
