Adopted by the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with armed conflict in the territory of that State, the possibility of authorising the pursuit of the profession of doctor or dentist, nurse or midwife and the granting of a conditional right to pursue the profession of doctor, dentist, nurse or midwife for a period of time 18 months will allow people who come from Ukraine and have medical education, to work in their profession, despite ignorance of Polish language.
The current situation undoubtedly justifies granting to people who do not know the Polish language the right to perform these professions. This solution will facilitate access to medical services for Ukrainian citizens who do not know Polish.
Language barriers could result in those people not seeking medical help, which would have very negative consequences for their health and even their lives. Of course, one must also bear in mind that the possibility of doing work in Ukrainian can cause a decrease in motivation to learn Polish.
Hence, this time limit is necessary because working in these professions is not only about contact with the patient, but also about communicating with the staff of medical institutions and using the information systems necessary for issuing e-recepts, e-releases, etc.
- In my opinion, it is not justified to refuse to grant the right to practice a pharmaceutical profession or a pharmaceutical technique while in Poland there is currently around two one million Ukrainians - says Konstancja Sawecka, Legal adviser Russell Bedford.
Over two one million Ukrainians, and in the long term there could be a lot more. They are all potential patients, especially since the road to Poland was often conducted under very difficult conditions. They were on unheated trains or on foot crossing the border.
Especially children who spent many hours and sometimes days in low temperature, waiting for a briefing in the pedestrian movement at the border crossing between Poland and Ukraine, will need urgent medical assistance.
Such a number of new patients would cause paralysis of the Polish health service, which was already inefficient, and staff shortages among doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives caused limited access of Polish citizens to medical services. Therefore, the regulations introduced are necessary in the current situation.
It can be noted that the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens omits other groups of medical professions, including pharmacists. However, the current situation justifies the introduction of specific legal solutions to enable Ukrainian citizens to benefit from pharmaceutical care.
Most of them do not speak Polish, and even more Polish pharmacists do not speak Ukrainian. Often the pharmacy is first the point where medical assistance is sought for various diseases or diseases, especially when the waiting period for medical assistance is long or there is no need for medical consultation.
In addition, other services are provided by pharmacy facilities. Currently around 1800 you can be vaccinated with Covid-19, which, at a low level of insemination of citizens Ukraine is of great importance in a time of pandemic.
In the light of recent events, employers' call to include Ukrainian pharmacists with the so-called simplified system of hiring in Polish pharmacies is most justified.
Undoubtedly, a comprehensive solution should also be implemented urgently concerning Polish language learning programmes for people from Ukraine who can perform the profession of e.g. pharmacist so that they can use the Polish language at a level that enables the provision of services in a safe way for the citizens of Poland.
In my opinion, it is not justified to refuse to grant the right to practice a pharmaceutical profession or a pharmaceutical technique while in Poland there is currently around two one million Ukrainians.