Zdrowie Publiczne 2009 119(2);171-174 Original Article
Download
Emigration of Polish healthcare system workers, especially to Great Britain
Wyrozębska Agnieszka, Matysiak Agata, Tatara Tomasz
Summary
Introduction. European healthcare systems struggle with
dynamic changes and demographic trends that impose growing
demand for healthcare services in highly developed
countries. Due to limited resources and funding, sound
balance between demand and supply has to be found.
Aim. The aim of the paper is to analyse migration of
Polish health professionals with special attention paid to
extensive migration to the United Kingdom.
Results. The fi rst part of the paper shows main factors
inducing young Polish workers to look for a job in foreign
countries as well as presents trends and diversion in migration
due to access of Poland to the European Union. The
key incentive to Polish healthcare professionals to start up
working abroad are higher wages, therefore the second part
of the paper presents a comparison of public health professionals’
salaries in Poland and UK.
Conclusion. Taking into account great importance of
healthcare professionals to provide societies with desired,
high standard of living, grave problem arises due to expected
shortages of healthcare professionals. Therefore, broad,
negative consequences of brain drain in Polish healthcare
system will be also analyzed.



