Bytom Hospital Faces Financial Collapse with 147 Million PLN Debt

Specialist Hospital No. 1 in Bytom has lost financial liquidity, reporting 146.8 million PLN in total debt as of April 2026, leading to delayed staff payments and partial service suspensions.

Growing Financial Instability

Specialist Hospital No. 1 in Bytom is struggling with severe financial issues. As of April 30, 2026, the facility’s liabilities reached 146.8 million PLN, with 65.3 million PLN classified as due and payable. Trade unions have been warning city authorities for months that the lack of funds could lead to the unprecedented closure of the municipal facility.

Unpaid Staff and Operational Strains

While permanent staff salaries have been stabilized since March 2026, medical personnel under contract and civil law agreements face ongoing payment delays for April and May. The hospital has also struggled to pay external suppliers, even forcing staff to use private funds to cover mandatory equipment inspections for the surgery department.

Tax and Insurance Complications

The situation deteriorated sharply after the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and the Tax Office seized the hospital’s receivables. These actions significantly restricted the facility’s access to National Health Fund (NFZ) contract payments, further crippling its ability to settle current debts. Additionally, the hospital is awaiting the resolution of over-limit procedures for the first quarter of 2026.

Service Suspensions and City Support

Despite the crisis, the city insists patient safety remains uncompromised, though the cardiology clinic and ward were suspended from June to August 2026 due to staffing and organizational limitations. Bytom has provided 7.9 million PLN in 2026 alone to cover losses, with total municipal support since 2018 exceeding 62 million PLN.

Signs of Gradual Recovery

City officials report the first indicators of stabilization, noting that the hospital’s net loss after four months of 2026 was 5.18 million PLN lower than the same period in 2025. Total debt decreased slightly between March and April 2026, suggesting that the rapid accumulation of new liabilities has been successfully slowed.