Designated Beds for Integrated Nursing and Care Service at Police Hospital to Double by March

The National Police Agency announced on the 3rd that it will expand the designated beds for the integrated nursing and caregiving service at the Police Hospital to reduce the burden of caregiving costs for police officers.

This measure follows President Yoon Seok-yeol's remarks at the Cabinet meeting on December 19 last year, urging to "promptly revise related systems and regulations to ensure there is no shortage in support for treatment and caregiving costs for injuries sustained while performing official duties to protect the lives and safety of the people."

So far, the National Police Agency has operated two wards with 44 beds as 'integrated nursing and caregiving service wards' to prevent infectious diseases and support treatment for severe patients, but there have been criticisms that this is insufficient to support all police officers with serious injuries.

In particular, regarding caregiving costs, even if an injury is recognized under the current system, the support limit for caregiving costs is capped at 67,140 KRW per day, so if police officers cannot use the integrated nursing and caregiving service wards, they inevitably face out-of-pocket expenses.

Accordingly, apart from the Ministry of Personnel Management's 'Improvement of payment standards for caregiving and treatment costs for injured public officials,' the National Police Agency, through consultations with related agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, plans to secure necessary personnel such as nurses and improve ward facilities, and expand the designated beds for the integrated nursing and caregiving service at the Police Hospital to double the current level (88 beds) by March this year.

The police expect that by enabling integrated medical services including caregiving at the Police Hospital, rapid recovery support without out-of-pocket expenses will be provided to police officers who have sustained serious injuries.

A National Police Agency official stated, "We will continue to pursue policies to expand support for injured police officers who have been hurt or contracted diseases due to their duties, such as increasing special consolation payments for police officers injured in hazardous duties and promoting the establishment of branch facilities of the Police Hospital."