Doctor with PLN 2 million contract, nurses waiting for PLN 37 million in back wages. Shocking audit results.

As of July 1, Wojciech Michalik has been the director of the Ludwik Perzyna Provincial Hospital in Kalisz. In an interview with the Polish Press Agency (PAP), he said that documents he reviewed during the competition process indicated the hospital had no debt. 2024 ended with a profit of PLN 2 million, and 2023 with a profit of nearly PLN 7 million.

After taking office, he stated that the hospital did have a debt. It concerned arrears to nurses due to outstanding wages for their specializations, amounting to PLN 37 million .

The director explained that nurses with a master's degree and specialization should receive higher remuneration than those without specialization, which results from the regulations on classification and remuneration in healthcare entities.

" The Kalisz hospital was the only one in the region that didn't pay the debt, " he said, announcing that he would pay the money, but would have to negotiate repayment terms with the staff. "I want it to be spread out over time and without harm to the hospital," he added.

The list of debts will be expanded by judgments issued in Kalisz courts on behalf of employees. Disputes with the former director concerned improper salary calculation and unequal treatment of employees in determining their base pay. The employees' claims were found to be justified, and the hospital faces millions of zlotys in compensation.

Michalik announced that he would not continue his predecessor's lawsuits and would not file an appeal, and the hospital would have to pay the awarded compensation.

According to the new boss, the Kalisz medical facility had a very complicated remuneration system. "It will be simplified and standardized. I'm currently reviewing all employee contracts," he stated.

One of the doctors was supposed to earn PLN 2 million annually under the contract . "I confirm that this was in line with the reports and explanations from the Marshal's Office in Poznań. But I can't say anything more. We are in the process of implementing the guidelines," he said.

The hospital employs 1,500 people. The director anticipates layoffs. The first to be cut will be in the administration. He explained that decisions about who will be laid off will be based on contract terms.

- I will refer the validity of employment in a given position to the workload of the department and the performance of the contract as well as the specialization held, which - in my opinion - was not fully analyzed before - he assessed.

The Marshal's Office in Poznań has completed an inspection of the Kalisz hospital and decided to notify the prosecutor's office. The irregularities identified relate to the period under the management of the facility by former director Radosław Kołaciński.

As Anna Parzyńska-Paschke, spokeswoman for the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship, told PAP on Friday about the revealed irregularities, in addition to the prosecutor's office, the Public Finance Discipline Ombudsman will also be notified.

The case came to light in April , when whistleblowers notified the Regional Chamber of Audit about suspected irregularities occurring at the Kalisz hospital.

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