On Thursday, 6 April, an extraordinary session of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Council was held. It had been convened at the request of several councillors. Thursday’s meeting of the Council was devoted to the situation at the Nowogrodziec Independent Public Healthcare Facility. Mayor Robert Relich first read out the answers to the questions contained in councillor Michał Sudoł’s interpellation, and then addressed the arguments of some of the facility’s employees, who had sent him a letter defending the dismissed director Bernarda Kowalska.
In replying to the councillor, the head of the municipal government mentioned, among other things, that the director of the Independent Public Healthcare Facility was obliged to implement resolutions adopted by the Nowogrodziec Municipal Council, including the recovery programme. He added that the latter “had not been implemented in essential areas.”
He also added that Bernarda Kowalska’s decision to close the Village Healthcare Centre in Zebrzydowa was “unlawful.”
In responding to some of the facility’s employees, the mayor stressed, among other things, that “Ms Bernarda Kowalska still retains her employment contract in her previous position.” He added that it was worrying that—despite the former hospital head’s declaration that the centre in Zebrzydowa would be suspended for one month—computer equipment had been dismantled there and the ECG machine had been moved to Nowogrodziec. According to the mayor, this could indicate an intention to liquidate the facility rather than suspend its operations.
Furthermore, according to the mayor, the former head of the Nowogrodziec healthcare facility wanted to centralise healthcare in the municipality because of staffing problems, also suspending medical services at the centre in Wykroty.
– We should work out solutions for residents that would ensure access to doctors, nurses, carers and rehabilitation specialists – R. Relich emphasised. He added that he hoped for “responsible dialogue” on the matter.
Will there be a merger with Bolesławiec?
Robert Relich said that he had been receiving offers for the merger of the Nowogrodziec hospital with another entity for years. He added that there had been a plan to create a consortium led by St. Luke’s Hospital in Bolesławiec. – This project fell through because the mayor of Bogatynia did not consent to further proceedings – the mayor stated. He noted that for now there were no plans to merge the two healthcare facilities: those in Bolesławiec and Nowogrodziec.
Who will head the hospital?
It is not yet known who will become the new head of the Nowogrodziec Independent Public Healthcare Facility. What is more, the current deputy director for medical affairs has submitted his notice; if he does not change his mind—which, incidentally, the mayor is urging him to do—he will work at the centre until the end of June.
We will return to this subject.