Poland health system faces political patronage and illegal medical practice probe

Investigations in Poland have revealed that key positions in regional medical institutions were filled without open competition, allowing politicians from multiple parties to secure appointments after electoral defeats. The report details how a newly created director role at the Świętokrzyskie regional ambulance service was awarded to a PiS politician and similar patronage was observed in other hospitals, highlighting a system of informal recruitment tied to party contributions and family connections.

Separately, prosecutors in Bielsko‑Biała have opened a case against Janusz N., accused of providing medical diagnoses and treatments without a medical licence. Police searches seized medical equipment, including an ultrasound machine and syringes. The suspect faces a ban on working with patients and police supervision, with investigators estimating up to nine hundred individuals may have received unauthorized care.