Ban on Dual Medical Practice Risks Collapse of Public Healthcare

The Left coalition proposes prohibiting doctors from working in both private and public sectors, a move experts warn would exacerbate staffing shortages, close hospital wards, and lengthen patient waiting lists.

The Left’s radical healthcare overhaul

Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Speaker of the Sejm representing The Left, has introduced a proposal to ban doctors from holding concurrent positions in private and public medical facilities. This is part of a broader push for structural changes in the national healthcare system.

Expert warnings on system stability

Dr. Jerzy Gryglewicz of the Lazarski University Institute of Healthcare Management warns that the proposal is dangerous given the current shortage of personnel. He argues that such a mandate would force many doctors to abandon the public sector entirely.

Hospital wards face potential closures if staff numbers dwindle, leading to increased patient wait times. Dr. Gryglewicz notes that such drastic measures are premature, as current recruitment levels for medical studies will only resolve the generational staffing gap in over a decade.

Demographic pressure and workforce activity

With 25 percent of the medical workforce reaching retirement age in 2024 and an average age of 58 in certain specialties, the system is fragile. The expert warns that over-regulating physician employment may decrease overall professional activity, further compromising patient access to care.

Monitoring physician compensation

Instead of a total ban, Gryglewicz advocates for a robust system to monitor physician earnings to prevent financial anomalies, such as non-specialized doctors earning over 100,000 PLN per month. The government has recently adopted a legislative project to track medical staff wages using PESEL or professional license numbers.

High-profile wage scandal

The urgency of these reforms was highlighted by the case of Dawid Kacprzyk, a doctor in training who reportedly earned 1.6 million PLN in 2025. Following public outcry, the physician resigned from his position as a local politician in the Civic Coalition (KO), and his contract with the Warsaw South Hospital was terminated.

Legislative next steps

The government aims to utilize the new salary monitoring data to analyze the impact of labor costs on overall healthcare financing. Speaker Czarzasty has announced his intent to hold a vote on the proposed legislation during the current Sejm session.