Review of Events of the Year 2023 - Part 1

JANUARY

Due to viral infections, PCP facilities were experiencing a real siege. Their capacity, mainly due to lack of staff, was limited. As a result, not all patients could be admitted on the day of notification, which became a frequent cause of conflicts.

Meanwhile, the most contagious of all SARS-CoV-2 strains identified so far has reached our country. The Health Ministry has confirmed the first cases of infection with the variant XBB.1.5 , or Kraken. Not only is it characterized by particularly high infectivity, but it is also able to "bypass" the immune response induced by vaccination or COVID-19 outbreaks. Kraken spreads up to 40 percent faster than previous SARS-CoV-2 variants. The virus owes its height of effectiveness to, among other things, 14 new mutations in the spike protein.

The Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives has asked all provincial governors to enforce on subordinate medical entities the correct interpretation of the provisions of the law on how to determine the lowest basic salary. The idea is to extend to the system's nurses, who hold a specialist title in a statutorily defined field of nursing, a work factor in accordance with the amended law.

FEBRUARY

- This is really a very poor result," assessed Deputy Health Minister Waldemar Kraska in an interview with Polish Radio Program 1, commenting on the level of flu vaccination. Only 809,000 people were vaccinated during the season in Poland. Meanwhile, the flu is still dangerous, with infections sometimes ending in the death of the patient.

- Saving lives is not a crime. We don't want to be treated as potential criminals, but as people who responsibly practice a profession of public trust," said Klaudiusz Komor, vice president of the Supreme Medical Council. The council submitted amendments to the Law on Quality in Health Care and Patient Safety. Doctors pointed to an amendment that says saving a life is not a crime and should not be punished as a crime is punished.

MARCH

The law on the National Oncology Network has been signed by the President. It envisages the introduction of a new model for the management of oncology care in Poland, which is expected to improve the organization of the system for providing health care services in this area. It also stipulates that medical entities meeting the eligibility criteria set forth in the law will form a National Oncology Network. The NSO is to provide comprehensive oncological care throughout the country, and the various stages of treatment are to follow strictly defined standards, with the cooperation of specialists in various fields.

The Council of Ministers adopted a draft law on certain medical professions. The draft provided for the establishment of conditions and rules for the practice of 17 medical professions that have not been covered by statutory regulations to date. Among other things, it is to include issues that concern the continuing professional development of medical professionals and their professional responsibility. A Central Register of Persons Authorized to Practice the Medical Profession will also be created. The draft has caused an uproar among representatives of some professions, including speech therapists. These demanded the deletion of their profession from the bill. Ultimately, this is exactly what happened.

- There is growing attention to the fact that in order to raise the standards of women's health care, it is important to listen to their voices," said Anna Clunes, British Ambassador to Poland, at the opening of the 2nd Women's Health Congress. The event was an opportunity to talk about the health situation of Polish women.