Klaipėda polyclinic faces staff shortages and financial difficulties

Klaipėda's central polyclinic is grappling with a significant decline in its workforce and mounting financial pressures. Between 2024 and the first half of 2026, the institution saw a stark reduction of 27.7% in its physician staff and nearly 17% of its nursing personnel. Management attributes some of this loss to retirements, while acknowledging the ongoing challenge of recruiting new specialists.

The salary disparity is a major contributing factor to the staffing crisis. Doctors at the polyclinic earn approximately 30.7% less than their counterparts in comparable city healthcare facilities. Although the polyclinic has implemented salary increases for some doctors and nurses, these measures have not fully resolved the issue, particularly as funding for services exceeding contracted amounts is reportedly delayed.

Despite these financial strains, the State Patients Fund (VLK) acknowledges the delays in payments but maintains that the polyclinic possesses sufficient funds and can reallocate its budget. The polyclinic's leadership is urging employees to increase their participation in disease prevention programs and to provide more services. However, staff are demanding additional compensation for this extra work, creating a cycle of unmet expectations and resource challenges.

To address the situation, the polyclinic is encouraging staff to work more in disease prevention programs and to offer a greater volume of services. This push for increased output, however, is met with employee demands for commensurate additional pay. The institution is caught in a difficult position, needing to expand services while facing budget constraints and a workforce that feels undervalued due to lower salaries and delayed payments.