Government Unifies Senior Care Standards with Seven-Day Assistance
The Polish government has proposed a regulation to establish uniform nationwide standards for home-based care services, aiming to provide consistent, seven-day-a-week support for over 111,000 seniors...
The Polish government has proposed a regulation to establish uniform nationwide standards for home-based care services, aiming to provide consistent, seven-day-a-week support for over 111,000 seniors and disabled individuals by August 2026.
Table Of Content
Uniform Standards Nationwide
Current regulations offer only general guidelines, leading to significant disparities in service quality across different municipalities. The proposed regulation seeks to standardize care requirements to ensure that every individual receives a comparable level of support regardless of their place of residence.
The new rules, which are currently under public consultation, are expected to come into effect on August 31, 2026, impacting approximately 2,500 municipalities and over 111,000 service users.
Scope of Care and Scheduling
The project defines a comprehensive catalog of services, including assistance with daily living activities, household management, basic nursing, and social engagement. It sets mandatory minimum service levels to prevent reductions in the quality of care provided.
Assistance will be available seven days a week between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. While services are generally not scheduled for public holidays, exceptions may be made based on the individual needs of the patient and their family.
Enhanced Safety and Quality Monitoring
The regulations address complex care needs by allowing two caregivers to perform a single task simultaneously, such as transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, while ensuring both receive full compensation. Furthermore, the plan introduces a centralized system for monitoring service quality through internal audits, surveys, and anonymous feedback mechanisms.
Reform Context
This initiative is a core component of the long-term care reform outlined in the National Recovery Plan. The government emphasizes that these changes are necessary to address demographic challenges and the rising demand for consistent, high-quality social support.