Adam Niedzielski: The infrastructure of psychiatric hospitals leaves much to be desired

– This is a clasp connecting the activities carried out in the last few years. We have built community care for children and partly also for adults, we have outpatient treatment that helps to solve slightly more difficult problems that require the intervention of a psychiatrist. Finally, there is inpatient treatment. The infrastructure of hospitals leaves much to be desired, said the minister in the program Gość Wiadomości

After the end of the recruitment process, the applications will be assessed and the contract preparation process will take place, but as Adam Niedzielski assures, the implementation of the investment will start in 2023. Meanwhile, as the head of the Ministry of Health emphasizes, a network of community care centers for children and youth is already ready. They are to be located in every county in the country. There are still problems with this in the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodship.

– We're working to eliminate these white spots. It is only a matter of time, because we have found a solution that allows us to build centers in places with a lower population density that do not have to offer the entire range of solutions available in standard complexes, assured the minister.

At the same time, the pilot program of community care for adults is being extended. Access to such centers is provided in one-third of the country, ultimately, in 2023, it is to be covered at the level of 50%.

- If it hadn't been for the reform started in 2018 and these actions, we would now be in a huge crisis. The demand for psychiatric care services has increased, depending on the age group of patients, by 30 to even 60 percent. – emphasized Adam Niedzielski.

According to the Minister of Health, the growing demand for psychiatric care is related, on the one hand, to the coronavirus pandemic, and, on the other hand, to the threats resulting from Russia's attack on Ukraine.