On June 22, 2023, the Emergency Medical Services Act came into effect. Medical institutions do not employ paramedics trained after this date.
The Polish Society of Paramedics has requested the intervention of Marcin Wiącek. They emphasize that with the entry into force of the Law of December 1, 2022 On the Paramedic Profession and Self-Government of Paramedics, the principles and conditions for the exercise of the paramedic profession, the principles and organization of its postgraduate education and professional development, as well as the organization and scope of activity of the self-government have been defined.
The problem is art. Section 218 1st of the Act, according to which persons who, on the date of entry into force of the Act, meet all the conditions specified in Art. 2 points 1 to 4, become paramedics and have the right to practice the profession. However, referring to Art. 2 points 1 to 4 of the Act on the paramedic profession, the legislator indicated that this profession can be practiced by those who:
1) has full legal capacity;
2) have a health condition that allows him/her to practice the profession of paramedic;
3) has knowledge of the Polish language, spoken and written, to the extent necessary for the exercise of the profession of paramedic;
4) meets the following requirements:
a) started studies in the field (specialty) of emergency medical services or emergency medicine before October 1, 2019 and obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree in this field (specialty), or
b) began preparatory studies for the exercise of the paramedic profession after the 2018/2019 academic year, carried out in accordance with the regulations issued under the terms of Article 68, 3, paragraph 1 of the Law of July 20, 2018 – Higher Education and Science Law (Official Gazette of 2022, item 574, as amended), and obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or
c) began studies at a public post-secondary school or a non-public post-secondary school with the right to a public school before 1 March 2013 and obtained a diploma certifying the professional title of paramedic or a diploma certifying professional qualifications in the profession of a paramedic or
(d) holds a diploma issued in a country other than a Member State, recognised in the Republic of Poland in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 20 July 2018 – Act on Higher Education and Science as equivalent to the diploma and professional title referred to in subparagraph (a) or (b), and has obtained the right of residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 2354, as amended) or the Act of 14 July 2006 on entry into the territory of the Republic of Poland, stay in and departure from this territory of citizens of the Member States of the European Union and their family members (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1697), or
e) has qualifications to practice the profession of paramedic recognised in the Republic of Poland on the basis of the provisions of the Act of 22 December 2015 on the principles of recognition of professional qualifications acquired in the Member States of the European Union (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1646 and of 2022, item 1616), or
f) has qualifications obtained before January 1, 2021 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, recognized in the Republic of Poland in accordance with the provisions of the Act of December 22, 2015 on the principles of recognition of professional qualifications acquired in the Member States of the European Union by the National Council of Paramedics, hereinafter referred to as the “National Council”.
As they emphasize – As the law came into force on June 22, 2023, the legal status does not allow graduates in the field who completed their studies after the effective date of the law to practice as a paramedic.
The Ministry of Health issued a statement on the matter on July 4, 2023. It assured that graduates who completed their studies after the date of entry into force of the law may practice their profession. However, according to the information provided to the Ombudsman by PTRM, most potential employers have a different position, which is why medical entities do not employ this group.
The Ombudsman therefore asked Izabela Leszczyna to consider an urgent amendment to the lawwhich would allow all paramedics to practice their profession, until the self-government of paramedics can actually issue the right to practice the profession, which is currently only in the organization phase.
