Poland's Psychiatric Care Reform Faces Expert Opposition

Poland's Ministry of Health has released a draft regulation that would revise the rules governing guaranteed psychiatric care and addiction treatment. The draft, open for public comment until late July 2026, proposes that each Mental Health Center (Centrum Zdrowia Psychicznego, CZP) serve 100,000 residents and be staffed with a detailed mix of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychotherapists, psychologists, environmental therapists, and other specialists – totaling dozens of full‑time positions per centre. The regulation also requires each CZP to operate a coordination point that remains open until 20:00 on weekdays.

Experts have warned that the proposal should be rejected in full, arguing that while pilot CZP projects since 2018 have shown reduced hospitalisations and better access, the new financing model – a flat regional grant rather than fee‑for‑service – would raise costs for the state. They call for a different solution that truly modernises psychiatric care and expands community‑based services without the financial burden the draft imposes.