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DownloadCOUNTRY: Poland
KNOWLEDGE BROKER: Alicja Domagala PhD, Health Policy and Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College
SEPEN thanks the knowledge brokers for their contribution in checking and completing the country-information. SEPEN is accountable for the content of the country profiles.
| Type of information | Source | Year | Remarks |
| Table 1: Health workforce stock and replacement | OECD | 2017 | Age characteristics of the physician and nursing stock are not reported. |
| Figure 1: Mobility level in absolute numbers | OECD | 2018 | Only immigration data for OECD countries are available. The data produced are therefore incomplete. Not all OECD-countries register the country of origin of incoming health professionals and some do not register incoming health professionals at all. Emigration data are based on immigration numbers in other OECD-countries, as emigration as such is not registered nor reported. |
| Figure 2a: Number of practicing physicians per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2017 | Figure 2a presents regional distribution of physicians. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Figure 2b: Number of practicing nurses and midwives per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2015 | Figure 2b presents regional distrubution of nursing and midwifery. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Statistic | Number | Data Year |
| Total population | 37 972 812 | 2019 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 77,7 | 2018 |
Source: Eurostat
| Licensed to practice | Practising | Professionally active | |||||
| Statistic | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Data year |
| Physicians | 146 037 | 3,85 | 90 284 | 2,38 | 97 835 | 2,58 | 2017 |
| > Generalist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 15 908 | 0,42 | Not reported | Not reported | 2017 |
| > Specialist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 74 376 | 1,96 | Not reported | Not reported | 2017 |
| Nurses | 291 864 | 7,69 | 193 700 | 5,10 | 195 146 | 5,14 | 2017 |
| Midwives | 37 694 | 0,99 | 22 742 | 0,60 | 22 936 | 0,60 | 2017 |
| Dentists | 41 281 | 1,09 | 13 331 | 0,35 | 14 346 | 0,38 | 2017 |
| Pharmacists | 34 797 | 0,92 | 29 330 | 0,77 | 30 228 | 0,80 | 2017 |
| Physiotherapists | Not reported | Not reported | 26 495 | 0,70 | Not reported | Not reported | 2017 |
Source: OECD
Not reported
| Name | Role | Website |
| Central Statistical Office | Established in 1918, the Central Statistical Office collects and publishes statistical data related to the economy, population, and society, at both national and local levels. | https://stat.gov.pl/en/ |
| Center for Information Systems in Health Care (CSIOZ) | The CSIOZ’s main sphere of activity is to implement tasks related to creating information systems, including the organisation and protection of health and carrying out analyses to support the Ministry of Health. CSIOZ is a governmental institution responsible for planning, building and monitoring IT solutions in health care; developing tools for data analysis and analytical reports related to the health care system. | https://www.csioz.gov.pl/ |
| National Chamber of Physicians (NIL) | The Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists along with the regional chambers are independent bodies of professional self-government of physicians and dentists, subordinate to the law. The Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists represents the professional self-government of physicians and dentists at state level, while the regional medical councils do so at regional level. | http://nil.org.pl |
| National Chamber of Nurses and Midwives (NIPIP) | NIPIP participate in the establishment of education standards, maintain registers of licensed and professionally active professionals and monitor their participation in CPD. The NIPIP also develops ethical codes of practice and, if necessary, imposes disciplinary measures on members. Membership in the chambers is compulsory for all practicing nurses and midwives.
NIPIP is responsible for the Central Register of nurses and midwives. |
https://nipip.pl/ |
| Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) | Central state organisational unit is a legal entity, maintaining headquarters in Warsaw. Tasks of the ZUS are defined in the Act of 13 October 1998 on the social insurance system. The ZUS fulfils various functions, driven by national legislation. | https://lang.zus.pl/en/ |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Ministry of Health | Policymaker and regulatory body, responsible for national health policy, major capital investments in healthcare, medical science and education. The Ministry of Health establishes regulations governing the functioning of the healthcare system. Providing equal access to publicly-funded healthcare services, the Ministry regulates the organisation and functioning of universal health insurance by issuing ordinances based on statutory delegation, and finances selected specialist health care services and public health programmes. | https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/ |
| National Health Fund (NFZ) | The National Health Fund is the sole payer in the Polish health system, responsible for contracting healthcare services included in the statutory benefits basket for the insured population. The NFZ determines the details of contracting processes. | https://www.nfz.gov.pl/ |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists | Central organisational body of the professional self-government of physicians and dental practitioners. Responsible for matters concerning the exercise of medicine and dentistry in Poland. | https://www.nil.org.pl/ |
| National Chamber of Nurses and Midwives | NIPIP participates in the establishment of education standards, maintains registers of licensed and active professionals, and monitors their participation in CPD. They also develop ethical codes of practice and may impose disciplinary measures on their members. Membership in the chambers is compulsory for all practicing nurses and midwives.
NIPIP is responsible for Central Register of nurses and midwives |
https://nipip.pl/ |
| The Polish Chamber of Physiotherapists | The Polish Chamber of Physiotherapists is a professional governing organisation associating and representing all physiotherapists in Poland with the right to practice their profession. The organisation grants and oversees physiotherapy licences, operating as the competent authority responsible for the profession of physiotherapy in Poland. | https://kif.info.pl/polish-chamber-physiotherapists/ |
| Name | Role | Website |
| National Institute of Public Health |
Central authority, cooperating with public health centres at provincial level and medical research institutes and institutions from Poland as well as other nations. The National Institute of Public Health performs activities of practice and intervention, as well as scientific and training activities in several domains of public health. |
https://www.pzh.gov.pl/ |
| Original name | STRATEGIA NA RZECZ ROZWOJU PIELĘGNIARSTWA I POŁOŻNICTWA W POLSCE |
| Name in English | Strategy for the development of nursing and midwifery in Poland |
| Short description |
The document sets out directions for actions to be taken to ensure the highest quality, safety and access to nursing care for patients, taking into account proposals of professionals’ activities, possibilities and financial resources. The strategy is one of the main tools to implement the services of the Ministry of Health. |
| Publication date | December 2017 |
| Link to full text | https://nipip.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-01-Strategia-na-rzecz-rozwoju-piel%C4%99gniarstwa-i-po%C5%82o%C5%BCnictwa-w-Polsce.pdf |
| Original name | Polityka wieloletnia państwa na rzecz pielęgniarstwa i położnictwa w Polsce (z uwzględnieniem etapów prac zainicjowanych w roku 2018) |
| Name in English | Long-term state policy for nursing and midwifery in Poland |
| Short description | National strategy developed with regards to the demographic situation of Polish society and the difficult situation in the field of nursing and midwifery, in terms of staff shortages in these professions, and difficult working conditions, including adverse payment terms. |
| Publication date | October 2019 |
| Link to full text | https://bip.kprm.gov.pl/kpr/wykaz/r1840557610,Polityka-wieloletnia-panstwa-na-rzecz-pielegniarstwa-i-poloznictwa-w-Polsce-z-uw.html |
| Original name | Lekarze i lekarze dentyści w Polsce – charakterystyka demograficzna. Stan w dniu 31.12.2017 roku |
| Name in English | Physicians and dentists in Poland – demographic characteristics in 2017 |
| Short description | Demographic characteristics of Polish physicians’ and dentists’ workforce, conducting forecasting activities with regards to physicians and dentists of Poland for the years of 2018-2037. |
| Publication date | 2017 |
| Link to full text | https://nil.org.pl/uploaded_images/1575630206_demografia-2017.pdf |
| Original name | Raport NIPiP nt. Zabezpieczenie Społeczeństwa Polskiego w świadczenia pielęgniarek i położnych |
| Name in English | Report of National Chambers of Nurses and Midwives on securing the Polish Society in providing nurses and midwifery services |
| Short description | Provides demographic characteristics of Polish nurses and midwives, describing the role, tasks, and requirements of the profession and characteristics of the work environment. |
| Publication date | March 2017 |
| Link to full text | https://nipip.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Raport_druk_2017.pdf |
| Original name | POZ PLUS |
| Name in English | Primary Health Care “Plus” |
| Short description | Policy to improve treatment through better organisation of primary care, including improved coordination of care between the PHC physicians, nurses and midwives. |
| Publication date | 27 October 2017 |
| Link to full text | https://www.nfz-lodz.pl/attachments/article/7658/Za%C5%82.%201_Opis%20pilota%C5%BCu.pdf |
| Original name | Art. 16j ust. 2b ustawy z dnia 5 grudnia 1996 r. o zawodach lekarza i lekarza dentysty (Dz. U. z 2018 r., poz. 617 z późn. zm.) dotyczący zasad odpracowania tzw. bonu patriotycznego. |
| Name in English | Article 16j 2b of the Act of December 5, 1996 on the professions of physicians and dentists (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 617) regarding the principles of working off the so-called patriotic voucher. |
| Short description | The so-called ‘patriotic vouchers’ were introduced in response to protests of physicians and provide a guaranteed salary increase of 600-700 PLN on a monthly basis for medical doctors committing to staying and working in the Polish health care system for a minimum of two years after completing residency training. |
| Publication date | 2018 |
| Link to full text | https://www.lexlege.pl/ustawa-o-zawodach-lekarza-i-lekarza-dentysty/art-16j/ |
| Original name | ROZPORZĄDZENIE MINISTRA ZDROWIA w sprawie limitu przyjęć na studia na kierunkach lekarskich i lekarsko-dentystycznych |
| Name in English | Regulation of the Minister of Health on the admission quotas to the medical study 2019/2020 |
| Short description | The Minister of Health (MoH) sets admission quotas by defining the number of students – in each academic year and for each university. The Regulation of the MoH on the quotas to the medical study is updated annually. |
| Publication date | 16 July 2019 |
| Link to full text | http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU20190001344/O/D20191344.pdf |
| Original name | Polityka Wieloletnia Państwa na Rzecz Pielęgniarstwa i Położnictwa w Polsce
|
| Name in English | Long-term State Policy for Nursing and Midwifery in Poland |
| Short description | State policy, aims to increase the number of students and improve the quality of education in the fields of nursing and midwifery. The policy-guide changes in the postgraduate education system are designed working conditions of nurses and midwives, as well as providing support for nurses in direct patient care. |
| Publication date | 15 October 2019 |
| Link to full text | https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/polityka-wieloletnia-panstwa-na-rzecz-pielegniarstwa-i-poloznictwa-w-polsce |
| Original name | Rozporzadzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 6 października 2004 r. w sprawie sposobów dopełnienia obowiązku doskonalenia zawodowego lekarzy i lekarzy dentystów |
| Name in English | Regulation of the Minister of Health of 6 October 2004 on ways to fulfil the obligation of professional development of physicians and dentists |
| Short description | CPD for physicians and dentists is obligatory. State policy, regulating obligatory CPD for physicians and dentists. Obligatory CPD is conducted through self-education and participation in various forms of training, for which educational points are awarded. Physicians and dentists must collect 200 educational points within a period of four years. |
| Publication date | 6 October 2004 |
| Link to full text | http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU20042312326/O/D20042326.pdf |
Not reported
| Original name | Ustawa z dnia 8 czerwca 2017 r. o sposobie ustalania najniższego wynagrodzenia zasadniczego niektórych pracowników zatrudnionych w podmiotach leczniczych |
| Name in English | Act on the method for determining the lowest basic salary for employees performing medical professions employed in health care units |
| Short description | Comprehensive act to regulate the minimum basic salaries of medical professionals employed in health care units. |
| Publication date | 2017 |
| Link to full text | http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20170001473 |
| Original name | Strategiczne kierunki rozwoju systemu ochrony zdrowia w Polsce |
| Name in English | Strategic directions for the healthcare system development in Poland |
| Short description | Report presenting the results of the national debate on directions of changes in the Polish healthcare system, including shortages of health professionals.
|
| Publication date | July 2019 |
| Link to full text | http://oipip.elblag.pl/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Wsp%C3%B3lnie-dla-zdrowia_dokument-podsumowuj%C4%85cy.pdf |
| Original name | System Monitorowania Kształcenia Pracowników Medycznych |
| Name in English | System of the Monitoring of Health Workforce Training (SMK) |
| Short description | A dedicated data platform to gather, analyse and monitor health workforce data. |
| Publication date | |
| Link to full text | https://smk.ezdrowie.gov.pl/ |
List of sources specific to this country:
Last updated: 10 October 2020
The country fiches are produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in the country sheets are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study.
Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission’s/Executive Agency’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This website was produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this website. Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission's / Executive Agency's behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.