Against the backdrop of broader health care challenges such as hospital debt, gaps in reimbursed cystic fibrosis drugs, and staffing shortages, critics argue that improving hospital nutrition is unfairly treated as a secondary issue. This view was voiced by a Member of Parliament, Katarzyna Lubnauer.
Polish political party PiS introduced the second pillar of its semester program through social media on a Tuesday morning. In a concise video, Health Minister Katarzyna Sójka announced the launch of a program named the Good Meal for patients in Polish hospitals. The plan promises extra funding for facilities and directs the National Health Fund to markedly raise the standard of hospital meals.
KO deputies Katarzyna Lubnauer and Monika Wielichowska held a press conference titled PiS as a Threat to Poland’s Health Security. Lubnauer described hospital meals as a symbolic issue, likening it to a heated cutlet. Wielichowska recalled a 2018 Supreme Court report that emphasized the need for systemic solutions to improve hospital nutrition.
The current health system is not ensuring adequate nutrition for hospital patients. Poland’s existing regulations do not specify dietary standards for hospitals, how to assess food quality, how hospital food services should be monitored, or how dietitians should be employed in wards.
Lubnauer referenced the related report during the discussion.
Nutritional Standards
Wielichowska noted that a regulation aimed at raising hospital nutrition quality, issued by former health minister Adam Niedzielski, has not yet come into effect.
When PiS released an advertisement about hospital nutrition, Lubnauer reported receiving messages from parents highlighting medicine shortages for their children and other concerns.
The cystic fibrosis drug remains reimbursed in most European Union countries, but it is not yet reimbursed in Poland. This issue touches not only on comfort of life but also on safety and the life chances of affected children. Lubnauer pointed out that it is not simply a matter of budget constraints; it is connected to parliamentary oversight of the Medical Fund. She argued that funds intended for modern therapies and treatments for children with rare diseases are being rolled over rather than allocated for their needs.
According to Lubnauer, only a small portion of the allocated budget has been spent in certain years, while larger sums have been carried forward. This pattern prevents essential medicines from reaching patients who need them, such as therapies for cystic fibrosis, while financial appropriations are rolled over into the next year.
Lubnauer stressed that children are going without medicines necessary for functioning and survival, and significant sums of money are being shifted away from these purposes year after year.
Hospital Debts
Wielichowska highlighted a persistent problem of mounting hospital debt, noting that liabilities have grown substantially since earlier administrations. District hospitals are described as nearing insolvency. Provisional figures show rising totals in the liabilities of independent public health institutions over successive years, signaling ongoing fiscal stress in the sector.
The discussion also touched on the shortage of medical staff. Wielichowska pointed out that roughly a quarter of active physicians and nurses may face retirement, and the average age of nurses has been rising. End-of-year figures show aging workforce trends that complicate workforce planning and service delivery.
Lubnauer drew a contrast between past wait times and those observed after years of PiS governance. She noted that the average wait time to see a specialist increased from about 2.4 months to roughly 4.1 months over an eight-year period, arguing that statements about improving hospital nutrition should not be used to downplay broader access issues in patient care.
Further reading notes include references to ongoing debates about hospital nutrition standards and overall healthcare spending levels, which critics describe as high but not always efficiently allocated.
Citation: Poland health policy discussion and parliamentary oversight on hospital nutrition and funding sources attributed to wPolityce.