Schizophrenia treatment in Poland

I have a question about how are people with schizophrenia treated in Poland? Do they access to medication or not? I have full blown schizophrenia and can't really function with out the meds currently the government in the US pays for my medication. I was thinking about moving back to Poland and was wondering if there are any programs for people with schizophrenia.

But you don't speak the language.

The government health service obviously works with people who have schizophrenia. You would however find the services here to be rather different than you are used to.

Now I am curious. How are they different? Are there just less services or some other kind of treatments entirely?

The budgets are different, affecting the treatments offered as well as hospital facilities and outpatient support. There are differences as well surrounding some concepts like patients' rights. The health services try their best here, but are very limited in what they are able to achieve.

I had worked in a mental health hospital previously. Many of the services such as inpatient treatment required preauthorization, with very limited insurance coverage. Is it the same situation for mental health coverage in Poland?

Its pretty sure bet you'll be forking out for the medication from your own pocket.

Wasn't there some scandal very recently about this?


Even if the NFZ pays, he'll be paying them for insurance first.

I think it's a pretty sure bet that anyone suffering from such an illness without speaking Polish fluently for many years is going to suffer in Poland.

If you pay the state medical insurance (NFZ), hospitals and doctor visits are free unless you prefer a doctor with a private practice. Medication is free when in a hospital. For outpatient treatment, it's partially refunded, depends on the specific drug. But treatment of a condition like schizophrenia requires very good communication with the doctor so the language barrier might be the biggest obstacle for you, even if you find a doctor who speaks some English.

edit, I've just noticed that you wrote "moving back to Poland", so if you're Polish and speak the language, you'd just have to pay the NFZ insurance.

Not really. It's needs led rather than resource led as far as possible and provided by the state, however the way the system is set up here means that inpatient care in rather old-fashioned institutions is very common and community care is a very stretched service. Paying for medication is an issue here - sometimes people have to either be admitted to hospital so they can get it.

I agree with Strzyga about the potential language barrier. The OP in his profile says that he only speaks a little Polish and this might be a problem. There are psychiatrists and psychy nurses who speak English but he can't rely on finding one in the right place at the right time.

Having untreated schizophrenia patients would be very noticeable (1% of the population suffers from it) so I doubt even Poland would allow it. Untreated they can be dangerous.


Every contact I've had with medical, dental and pharmacy's staff has been in English. All the nurses in my wife's course have to speak English to pass their degree, for instance.

Pharmacists always seem to speak English, its seems to be a requirement in all countries.

NFZ-funded?

Weird. My dentist doesn't speak a word of English, nor does my doctor and nor did my partner who was a psychy nurse. Of the doctors and dentists I know socially, only one speaks English and badly at that.

Maybe its Krakow, millions of tourists?

Possibly. Even in Warsaw you cant expect someone to speak English.

Let's not stray folks.

Who's straying? The language skills of mental health staff are pretty important since the OP is thinking of coming here but doesn't speak Polish well.

Indeed, it's pretty relevant given that if he has it as severe as he says, it's pretty unlikely that guaranteed English language care will be available on the NFZ - and from what he says, he won't have the cash to pay for private.

good point guys,my bad.