On Thursday, April 16, 2026, a round table was held at the seat of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic with the participation of the Minister of Health Kamil Šaška on the Proposal for the necessary reorganisation of health care provision in Bratislava and Bratislava region following the strategic investment of the National University Hospital General Milan Rastislav Štefánik.
At the meeting attended by representatives of all hospitals in the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, the committee of the National Council of the Slovak Republic for Health, medical faculties of universities of Comenius University and Slovak Medical University, trade unionists and self-government, data and facts related to the proposal were presented. All participants agreed that the proposed steps aim to ensure accessible, safe and sustainable healthcare.
The round table was preceded by bilateral negotiations with representatives of the University Hospital Bratislava, the Medical Faculty of Comenius University, the municipal districts of Podunajské Biskupice and the New City and Bratislava Self-Governing Region, where the individual measures were discussed in detail.
The Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Bratislava Self-Governing Region is also working on the concept of further use of the area in Podunajské Biskupice for the provision of long-term and subsequent health and social care. The resort is based on the resolution of the Slovak Government of 14 January 2026 on the analysis of the socio-economic situation and selected problems of districts of Bratislava and Senec with proposals for improvement in the social and economic area, on the basis of which, in cooperation with the president of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, it is to be ensured that the infrastructure of the area of the specialised hospital Podunajské Biskupice is used effectively so that its outpatient part remains used in the current way and its bed part serves mainly for polymorbid and/or immobile patients with chronic diseases.
The intention of MZ SR is to optimize the hospital network, which minimises duplication, increases the availability of comprehensive acute care, strengthens patient safety while maintaining teaching capacity for medical faculties, which raise more than 60% of all graduates of medical faculties in Slovakia. Prerequisites for successful hospital network transformation:
- Patient safety first. No transfer will take place without ensuring a smooth and secure continuity of care.
- Respect for academic autonomy. All changes must be consulted and approved in advance in the academic bodies of medical faculties. Teaching contracts must be respected; the transfer of workplaces will be carried out with regard to teaching.
- Maintenance of teaching capacity. The minimum number of teaching beds for all specializations will be defined before each step of reorganization of the LF UK raises almost 50% of all graduates of medical faculties in Slovakia and increases the number by 40 students every year.
- Legal framework and transparency. Each categorisation decision shall be subject to Networking Commission and Networking Board meetings in accordance with Law 540/2021. Z. z. z.
- Social responsibility. All employees of the sites concerned will have a clear career plan and an offer of inclusion at the remaining UNB sites or a new national hospital.
The Minister for Health thanked the partners for a constructive discussion and asked for an active continuation of the dialogue in order to make the most efficient use of existing capacities, openness to solutions which give priority to the patient's interest over institutional inertia, while actively contributing to the development of detailed implementation plans for each of the five steps.