In mid-December, the management of the county hospital and the heads of its departments issued an open letter to the public. They wrote that the National Health Fund was discriminating against the Bolesławiec hospital and undervaluing the contract—in other words, providing too little money for treating residents of Bolesławiec County.
“On the one hand, this letter informs the public about the situation, and on the other hand, we are counting on the residents’ support, because this is, in fact, their hospital and they receive treatment at this hospital, not in neighboring ones. Each of us pays a health insurance contribution, and I think everyone should ask—not only at their aunt’s birthday party—what they are getting in return, but should put this question to those higher up, to the bodies that represent them, to their MPs whom they elected, and to their city and county councilors,” Nikolaj Lambrinow, acting director, told the Boleslawiec.org portal.
Doctors warn that there will not be enough money for medicines and scheduled procedures. Several departments may first face significant restrictions on their operations and then closure. The contract was nevertheless signed because the money, though limited, is essential. The fund promised the management that if another hospital does not use its allocation, the funds will be transferred to us.
The NFZ has been proposing contracts this low to the Bolesławiec hospital for seven years. For the pediatric department, calculated per resident of Bolesławiec County, approximately 7 zlotys was proposed, compared with 17–18 zlotys for the hospitals in Zgorzelec and Lubań. This money is exclusively for treatment, not for investments or staff salaries. The new contract is to apply during the first four months of the new year.
(KG report)