site.btaHealth Ministry: Staff Costs for Psychiatric Hospitals Increased by 25.7% from 2022 to 2024

The staff costs of the budgets of the 12 State Psychiatric Hospitals (SPH) in Bulgaria from 2022 to 2024 have been increased by BGN 9,169,700 or 25.7% compared to the budget for 2021, the Health Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday. As a result, the average gross monthly salary in the state psychiatric hospitals has gone up from BGN 1,531 in 2022 to BGN 1,983 in 2024.

The press release states that the Health Ministry considers reforming psychiatric care in Bulgaria as its priority task.

Earlier on Wednesday, psychiatrists came out in protest demanding a 50% increase in their salaries and a change in their job category.

In connection with the demands of the workers in the psychiatric structures, on Thursday Health Minister Silvi Kirilov will hold a meeting with their representatives, the Ministry of Health also said.

The State Budget Bill for 2025 envisages expenditures of BGN 1,203,828,300 under the Health Ministry's budget, of which BGN 127,667,900 is the estimated funding for inpatient psychiatric care. The funds are planned and accounted for under the Psychiatric Care budget programme and compared to the 2024 budget the increase in expenditure is BGN 21,475,400 or 20.22%, the Health Ministry said.

The additional funds calculated in the 2025 budget are BGN 197,300 for an increase in staff costs with the effect of the change in the minimum wage from BGN 933 to BGN 1,077 from January 1, 2025, BGN 2,039,200 to provide for the annual increase in 2024 in the remuneration of staff in the Health Ministry's system to address pay disparities for staff in budget organizations, BGN 2,098,000 to increase staff costs by 5% in line with the adopted income policy as from January 1, 2025, BGN 2,500,000 to finance the prevention, treatment and therapy of gambling addiction for persons under Article 10a(5) of the Gambling Act, BGN 14,640,900 for capital expenditure related to the modernization of psychiatric care.

The central budget plans additional funds of BGN 27,000,000, including BGN 23,800,000 for diagnosis and inpatient treatment of patients with mental illnesses and BGN 3,200,000 for improving the welfare of patients in state psychiatric hospitals, the Ministry said.

The funds amounting to BGN 3.2 million will be used to increase the maintenance costs of state psychiatric hospitals. Of these, BGN 1,100,000 are for a 10% increase in the maintenance budget (in connection with the significant increase in the prices of basic costs such as electricity, heating, fuel, medicines, hygiene materials, etc.) and BGN 2,000,000 for the care of 273 permanent residents in all 12 state psychiatric hospitals.

The amount of BGN 23.8 million will increase the amount paid by the Health Ministry for the provision of inpatient treatment of patients with mental illnesses per bed day in psychiatric facilities. The increase is from BGN 65 to BGN 92 for structures with level III competence, from BGN 60 to BGN 82 for level II competence, and from BGN 50 to BGN 62 for level I competence, or a 40% increase. Within these funds, the weighting for the subsidy for the treatment of children with mental illness will also increase.

This increase will affect 12 Mental Health Centers and 22 State and/or Municipal Inpatient Care Facilities with Psychiatric Departments, the Ministry said.

Interventions in the infrastructure are foreseen at a total cost of BGN 36,043,799.86 including VAT, through construction, reconstruction, renovation, rebuilding, improvement of access for persons with disabilities to the buildings and their surrounding area, as well as renovation of furniture and equipment.