Conference on doctors’ working time in Cracow

A conference devoted to situation in the health care sector following this year’s introduction of the working time reform was held in the Collegium Medicum of Jagiellonian University in Cracow on 11 April 2008.The conference was organized by the Public Health Foundation. Vice Minister for Health Marek Twardowski, dr hab. Krzysztof Rączka from Warsaw University and Piotr Wojciechowski, Deputy Director of Legal Department at Chief Labour Inspectorate participated in it as experts.

The conference was attended by directors and managers from health care units, mainly from the territory of Southern Poland, representatives of trade unions and doctors’ self-government organisations, as well as representatives of District Labour Inspectorate in Cracow, including its head Tadeusz Fic.

An introductory speech titled “Medical personnel – undervalued resource in the health care sector” was presented by Prof. dr hab. Stanisława Golinowska from the Public Health Institute of Jagiellonian University. Vice Minister for Health Marek Twardowski assessed the situation in the health care sector and presented the draft amendment of the act on health care units. Dr hab. Krzysztof Rączka, a professor at Warsaw University, presented an analysis of legal situation with regard to the amended provisions of the said act related to working time. Piotr Wojciechowski from Chief Labour Inspectorate informed the audience about the results of inspections carried out in the health care entities in the first quarter of 2008.

During a discussion held in the second part of the conference Krzysztof Rączka and Piotr Wojciechowski answered questions about interpretation of the law.