Prague, November 6, 2023 – A recent statement by Vlastimil Válek, the Czech Minister of Health, has raised concerns about income allocation in the healthcare sector in the Czech Republic. Válek revealed that most hospitals in the country allocate a substantial portion of their income to salaries, with some specialized hospitals, such as aftercare, rehabilitation, or psychiatric facilities, spending as much as 80% on compensating their staff. This allocation is in stark contrast to Western countries, where the figure typically hovers around 50%.

The disclosure was made at a convention of the Czech Medical Chamber (ČLK), prompting discussions about the impact of such allocations on healthcare accessibility and quality. Milan Kubek, the President of ČLK, expressed his concerns, stating, “For much less money, patients receive the availability and quality of Western countries. This happens at the expense of the people who work in healthcare.”

The issue of healthcare worker salaries has been a contentious one, with hospital doctors demanding higher remuneration and better working conditions. Some doctors have stopped voluntary overtime work since December, citing dissatisfaction with the current wage structure. They are advocating for wage increases ranging from 1.5 to 3 times the average wage, depending on the length of their practice, which would translate to salaries ranging from 65,000 to 130,000 Czech crowns.

The protesting doctors are also seeking changes to the labor code, particularly with regards to overtime hours. They want to revert to the original value of 416 overtime hours, which had been doubled to 832 in October. Furthermore, they are advocating for allowing 24-hour doctor stays at the workplace, which is not in line with the current labor code.

Válek has previously promised an increase in healthcare worker remuneration, with 6.8 billion crowns earmarked for this purpose, according to the payment decree utilized by the ministry to allocate funds for the coming year. However, President Kubek believes that these increases may not translate into tangible changes in the salaries of individual healthcare workers. He argued, “Nothing will force the founder of that hospital actually to reflect it in salaries and wages. There is no other way than binding tariff tables.”

It’s worth noting that state institutions, such as university hospitals, have salary structures based on tariff tables, while other founders include regions, cities, and private institutions. The ongoing debate underscores the complex challenges in ensuring fair and competitive compensation for healthcare professionals in the Czech Republic.

Article by Prague Forum