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HEALTH |
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Reciprocal arrangements between Poland and Britain mean British
travellers are entitled to free basic medical care in the country; there
is, however, a charge for certain imported drugs and for some
specialized treatments. It's important to carry your NHS card as proof
of your entitlement to free treatment; without it you will probably end
up paying the full cost. However, these arrangements do not cover
everything, and it is advisable for everyone to have adequate private
health insurance. North Americans, Canadians, Australians and New
Zealanders must arrange full insurance before leaving home.
Inoculations are not required for a trip to Poland. Tap water is
officially classified as safe, at least in the major cities, but most
people prefer to drink bottled mineral water ( woda mineralna ).
Pharmacies and hospitals
Simple complaints can normally be dealt with at a regular pharmacy (
apteka ), where basic medicines are dispensed by qualified pharmacists.
In the cities, many of the staff will speak at least some English or
German. Even in places where the staff speak only Polish, it should be
easy enough to obtain repeat prescriptions, if you bring along the empty
container or remaining pills. In every town there's always at least one
apteka open 24 hours; addresses are printed in local newspapers and
guides.
For more serious problems, or anything the pharmacist can't work out,
you'll be directed to a public hospital ( szpital ), where conditions
will probably be cramped, with more patients than beds, a lack of
resources and occasionally insanitary conditions. Health service staff
are heavily overworked and scandalously underpaid: the funding crisis in
the Polish health service is currently the subject of intense political
debate. Hospital patients may be required to pay for the better-quality
medicines, and will probably need friends to bring food in for them. If
you are required to pay for any medical treatment or medication,
remember to keep the receipts for your insurance claim when you get home.
In the larger cities you can opt for private health care . Kraków and
Warsaw now have a considerable Western expatriate population, with
health centres run on Western lines. In a crisis, it may even be best to
ring the 24-hour emergency service of one of these clinics rather than
an ambulance; the ethics of private versus public health care aside,
there are advantages to being able to talk to someone in English. See
the relevant city listings - or check the local press - for details.
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