Porsche for Some, Minimum Wage for Others: Medical Chamber Chief Opposes Government Transparency Law

Following reports of financial irregularities at a Warsaw hospital, the government is fast-tracking a law to monitor doctors’ total earnings via PESEL numbers, sparking a fierce clash with the medical guild.

New Oversight Measures

After journalists from Zero.pl exposed irregularities at Szpital Południowy, the debate over doctors’ salaries intensified. The government is accelerating legislation to grant the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System (AOTMiT) access to medical personnel salary data via national ID numbers or professional license numbers.

If enacted, the Agency will track the total earnings of medics working across multiple facilities by 2027. Deputy Health Minister Katarzyna Kęcka stated that currently, AOTMiT lacks the legal framework to process identifiable medical staff data.

Dr. Łukasz Jankowski, president of the Supreme Medical Council (NIL), declared support for salary transparency but vehemently opposed linking the data to personal PESEL numbers, citing privacy concerns.

Powerless Against Systemic Pathologies

Jankowski addressed a controversial social media post where he claimed “no government has ever won against doctors.” He clarified that his words were taken out of context, explaining that he felt a “sense of powerlessness” regarding a system that pits doctors against patients through hate and a lack of dialogue.

He noted that for ten years, the medical community has faced a “brick wall” in its attempts to reform the healthcare system. He argued that the entire profession is currently being blamed for the actions of a single individual, fueling unjustified emotions regarding physician compensation.

Proposals for Reform

The NIL president advocated for the depoliticization of healthcare, the introduction of working hour limits, and a revaluation of medical procedures. He criticized the current disparity where some staff earn the minimum wage while others in the same hospital earn 300,000 PLN and drive luxury vehicles.

According to Jankowski, 84 percent of doctors support capping working hours. He suggested that if contract doctors were offered a stable salary equal to three times the national average, many would return to standard employment, effectively ending the current system of excessive pay gaps.

The Catalyst: A Politician’s Earnings

The controversy stems from reports that Dawid Kacprzyk, a sub-30-year-old doctor without a specialty and a city councilor for the Civic Coalition, earned nearly 1.6 million PLN in a year as a coordinator at Szpital Południowy. He reportedly held positions at four different facilities simultaneously.

Zero.pl alleged that Kacprzyk engaged in political activities, media appearances, and council sessions during his shifts. The portal further claimed that he facilitated prioritized hospital services for members of the Civic Coalition.