Doctors' surgeries and many clinics closed here in Poland - pretty chaotic

How are things in you area of Poland?

There is some dispute between the Poland government and physicians or clinics (I am not sure exactly) and as a result the surgeries (doctor's offices) near me are mostly closed and the 1 or 2 that are open aren't taking any patients and say "go to accident & emergency" and then just hang up, or simply don't answer the phone. One of the local surgeries has a sign outside saying "closed indefinitely". Phoning round the remaining doctors and open clinics, the response is "no appointments left" or "go to A & E".

That's if a person can get through, as the lines are engaged and it takes a lot of redialling to actually speak to someone.

I should think the queues/lines at A&E are on to the street.

Any comments on what this mess that's causing a lot of patient hardship is about exactly, and what the likely outcome or resolution might be (and when!).

Thanks.

(Here's a summary of the situation in English, but it seems far worse than just 1 in 5 in this area
thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/192488,Patient-queues-growing-as-medical-centres-still-without-contracts-for-2015)

The limit is only 30 patients in 3 months.



Many patients recognized by the NHS system as unauthorized actually has the right to insurance.



Referrals cause only queues being transferred for family doctors "without shortening in the specialist clinics."



source: tvn24.pl/wiadomosci-z-kraju,3/protest-lekarzy-z-porozumienia-zielonogorskiego-szesc-glownych-postulatow,503427.html

One thing is for sure.
This is not a time to be ill in Poland, unless you have MONEY and access to a private doctor or clinic.
If you are unwell - go straight to Accident and Emergency....do not suffer in silence.

Looker, thank you


Although I acknowledge there are many dedicated medics caught in the middle of this mess, I must agree with you.

The headline in the local paper says 64 clinics closed. Let me tell you, dear reader, Wroclaw is not as big as you may think and 64 seems to be a very large proportion of them, so there seems to be nowhere to go in effect.

Local paper headline


gazetawroclawska

Sounds like in new york,the emergency room wait sometimes exceed 24hrs,so most new yorkers prefer to call ambulance and get priorty.

But as you can guess, there is the danger that someone who's seriously ill won't get an ambulance because it's called out to something comparatively trivial. And I speak with bitter experience from my time in the UK.

Do you think it doesnt happen??? very common there esp in some neighbourhoods.Its worth to buy medicover health plan for 500pln a month which even gets 2 calls a year from a doctor visiting you at home,but prescriptions are not covered.

Definitely, and it's more affordable than many people think. Both our kids have the full whammy hospital insurance. 375 pln pcm for our 3 year old and 475 for our 6 month old (dropping back down to 375 after a year or so).

A bit off topic but these situations do, particularly during the periods of germs spreading like wildfire, make medicover seem like an absolute bargain!

Well, I'm not asking for sympathy but that wouldn't be affordable for me, even if it is loose change for someone high-ranking at Credit Sewers. Those of us on local and unremarkable money cannot hope to afford it.


news.yahoo/polish-doctors-clash-minister-shuts-many-surgeries-124603305.html

Yes, it's spread here, certainly seems to be a lot of closed surgeries, and there's now talk of a wider strike in the news media.