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From Brussels Perspective |  |  |  |
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An interview with Danuta HBNER, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy
Council Directive 2003/88/WE (formerly: 93/104/EC) concerning certain aspects of the organization of working time implies among others that a patient shall be treated by a doctor who is well-rested, relaxed, physically and mentally efficient and in immediate readiness to work which shall guarantee patients a suitable level of medical services and safety. However, due to shortage of medical staff observed in many European Union countries governments of some of them see the solution of the problem in increasing doctors' working time. What is your opinion, as one of the most important European Union politicians, about it?
As a patient I would certainly like to have constant access to a doctor but also to a well-rested doctor. The discussion about changing the directive on working time has been going on for more than ten years. In the end, the discrepancies between attitudes of twenty-seven Member States have recently blocked the modification of the mentioned directive. I hope the future Commission and European Parliament will renew the actions to finalise the negotiations.
Do you meet many Polish doctors abroad? What is their situation there?
In Brussels there are a lot of Polish doctors of different specialities. They are not only doctors who have arrived there in recent years but also those who have been living and working there as doctors for ten or twenty years - they belong to the elite and make up a very strong environment. It was their initiative to publish a book containing an index of Polish practitioners in Belgium. The index includes numerous outstanding specialists with a stable position in Belgian hospitals. The following terms are commonly associated with a Polish doctor there: well educated, professional and thus worth employing.
What profits has our EU accession brought us?
It surely has extended opportunities to go abroad and work there. It has made establishing contacts, studying or gaining new experiences easier. Another significant argument is a possibility to make the necessary investments in Polish health care sector whose great weakness has always been lack of funds. For the 2004-13 period, Poland has been allocated approximately €80 billion as structural funds within regional policy for which I hold the responsibility. The funds help to improve the situation of the health care sector as well. So far we have invested over €500 million to modernise health care facilities. In the regional programs till 2013 we still have a provision of €600 million. We must remember that Poland is the largest beneficiary of European funds. In the first period after accessing European Union 521 medical establishments bought almost 4700 pieces of medical equipment. Currently, the plans for the period up to 2013 envisage a purchase of 600 ambulances, modernisation of 100 medical establishments and training of twenty-four thousand nurses and midwives. This year, in Warsaw itself, 6 hospitals have received twenty-three million euro for their renovations from European funds.
What chances for Polish hospitals can you see in united Europe?
It is clearly visible that by means of regional funds Europe helps us overcome problems also those in health care sector. If European funds are invested in educating Polish doctors, modernising health care establishments and medical equipment not only will we improve access to medical services of good quality for Polish citizens but we will also attract foreign patients to our medical establishments. It creates a chance for our hospitals to gain additional incomes in this way and consequently to improve their and their employees' financial situation. There are regions in Europe which benefit from that considerably. That is why we should think now how to sell well the achievements of Polish school of medicine.
Do you think that a doctor living and working in Poland nowadays may feel worse as a health care sector employee than their counterpart working in other European Union countries?
In Poland throughout years different attempts and efforts were made and different systems tested but we are still far from the point in which doctors are able to fulfil their mission without struggle and to lead a life on a decent level. We need to remember that health care sector is a completely autonomous competence of member states. European Union may only assist and coordinate activities, offer financial support or create favourable conditions for cooperation of different national medical services. But how the services work and what their financing systems are is left within member states' and their governments' competence.
Is it easy for a Pole to live abroad?
Nowadays - yes, because we know we can come back any time.
Interviewed by Ewa Gwiazdowicz