Patient to the Ministry of Health: Less space than a cow or a prisoner. There is a reaction.
Author: Jacek Wykowski • Source: Rynek Zdrowia • Added: August 4, 2025 1:45 PM
During my hospitalization, some rooms had less than 2.5 square meters of space per patient, a woman who had been hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital wrote in a petition to the Ministry of Health. She added that regulations allow for more living space for both prisoners and some farm animals.
- Since 2019, there have been no strict standards regarding the size of psychiatric wards. A patient in a petition warns that patients have less than 2.5 square meters per person or are simply lying in the corridors.
- He also writes about a legal paradox: a prisoner must be provided with a minimum of 3 square meters, while cattle in a non-containment system must be provided with 9 square meters.
- The petition calls for the restoration of the pre-2019 regulations requiring a minimum of 7 square meters per psychiatric patient.
- The author also calls for access to windows and daylight as specified in the regulations.
- In response, the Ministry of Health refers to a general regulation from 2019
- There is also an assurance that the author's proposals will be carefully analyzed, but only if work on changes to the law begins.
On July 25, the Chancellery of the Ministry of Health and the Parliamentary Health Committee received a petition requesting the restoration of the standards for square footage and sanitary facilities for psychiatric hospital patients .
The petitioner, who was also a psychiatric patient, recalls that the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 26 June 2012 on detailed requirements for premises and equipment in healthcare facilities (Journal of Laws of 2012, item 739) was in force until the end of 2018. It stipulated a minimum of 7 square meters of space per bed in a psychiatric ward and 9 square meters in forensic psychiatry.
- Since 2019, after the repeal of this legal act, no square footage standards have been in force, which results in extremely inhumane situations - we read in the petition
- During my hospitalization in Ward VII of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Lublin (November 12 - December 5, 2024) , in some rooms the area per patient was less than 2.5 square meters , and patients were even placed in corridors, where the only space was the surface of the bed - describes the author of the letter.
It also indicates that the following are in force in Poland at the same time:
- Art. 110 § 2 of the Executive Penal Code (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 127): " The area of the residential cell per convict may not be less than 3 square meters. "
- Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of 15 February 2010 on minimum conditions for the keeping of certain species of farm animals (Journal of Laws of 2010, No. 56, item 344), annex - point 6.1:
“ Cattle kept in a tetherless system should be provided with an area of not less than 6.0 square meters per adult animal.”
In view of the above - the author of the petition points out - a psychiatric patient in Poland today has less space at his disposal than a cow or a prisoner , even though his health condition requires special protection and an appropriate therapeutic environment.
He adds that the current situation violates Article 30 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland (human dignity), Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment) and Article 20 of the Act on Patients' Rights and the Patient Ombudsman (the right to respect for privacy and dignity).
A patient of a psychiatric hospital and the author of the petition requests:
- Reintroduction of the obligation to provide a minimum area of 7 square meters per psychiatric patient - based on the regulations in force until the end of 2018.
- Regulations regulating the right of access to sanitary facilities (toilets, bathrooms, showers, sinks) per number of patients, with the obligation to adapt them to the needs of people with physical disabilities (handles, maneuvering space, seats, lowered fittings, etc.).
- Limiting the maximum number of beds in a room and requiring access to a window and daylight.
- Issuing a new legal act - a regulation of the Minister of Health regulating the above issues in a binding manner, as a minimum standard applicable to all psychiatric hospitals.
On July 31, Maciej Karaszewski, Director of the Department of Therapeutics at the Ministry of Health , responded to the petition. He reiterated the applicable provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of March 26, 2019, regarding detailed requirements for premises and equipment of entities conducting medical services, including psychiatric wards. He cited the following provisions:
- § 16. The shape and surface of the premises of an entity performing medical activities shall enable the proper arrangement, installation and use of devices, apparatus and equipment constituting its necessary functional equipment.
- § 18. 1. Beds in bed rooms are accessible from three sides, including two longer sides. 2. Beds in bed rooms in psychiatric wards and addiction treatment centers are accessible from at least two sides , one longer and one shorter.
- § 19. The spaces between beds allow free access to patients .
- § 20. The width of the bed room allows for the bed to be moved out .
At the same time, the director assures that if work is undertaken to amend the regulation , the author’s comments and proposals will be carefully analyzed .
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