Undercover video of Polish doctor Dawid Kacprzyk sparks political backlash over 1.6M PLN hospital scandal

Undercover footage in Jaktorów

A hidden camera recording released on 21 September 2026 by investigative outlet Kanał Zero shows doctor Dawid Kacprzyk dismissing allegations regarding his former management of the emergency department at Warsaw's Szpital Południowy. The footage was recorded during a medical appointment at the Jaktorów Medical Centre near Grodzisk Mazowiecki, where Kacprzyk began working as an internist in early September 2026. When asked by an undercover reporter seeking treatment for a gym injury how he felt about the controversy, Kacprzyk replied that he had it in his ass and described the situation as a political affair orchestrated by Law and Justice (PiS) ahead of elections.

During the appointment, Kacprzyk addressed public criticism regarding his wealth and vehicle choices, showing photographs of his Porsche Panamera on a computer monitor. He argued that such income levels reflect standard physician compensation in Poland and stated that media attention now prevents him from driving the luxury vehicle to the local clinic, forcing him to commute in a Mazda instead. After recognizing that he was speaking with a journalist during the issuance of medical paperwork, Kacprzyk maintained that the investigations by the prosecutor's office and medical chambers would clear him.

Origins of the Szpital Południowy controversy

The initial revelations emerged in June 2026, when reporting by Zero.pl exposed financial and operational practices at Szpital Południowy during 2025. Kacprzyk, who served as the hospital's emergency ward coordinator while completing his medical specialization in anesthesiology, earned 1.6 million PLN in 2025 from business activities providing medical services. Hospital documentation recorded nearly 4,000 working hours for him during that single year.

The investigations also alleged that politicians from the governing Civic Coalition (KO), where Kacprzyk served as a local councillor for Warsaw's Ursus district, received priority treatment at the facility. According to the reporting, party members bypassed standard emergency room triage queues and received immediate comprehensive diagnostics. In response to the initial reports, Warsaw municipal authorities conducted an audit of Szpital Południowy and dismissed both the management board and the supervisory council. Kacprzyk resigned his seat on the Ursus district council and gave up his party membership.

Political and institutional fallout

The release of the consultation video prompted reactions across Poland's political spectrum, including sharp criticism from members of the ruling coalition government. Government Plenipotentiary for Equality Katarzyna Kotula called for immediate prosecutorial action against what she termed blatant arrogance and manipulation. Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz urged swift regulatory measures to cap earnings of high-income physicians on public healthcare contracts without postponements.

And that is why it is so important that limiting the earnings of millionaire doctors on fictitious contracts comes into force as soon as possible. Without any one-year delay.

Opposition lawmakers also condemned the conduct captured in the recording. Former deputy health minister and Law and Justice parliamentarian Janusz Cieszyński criticized the absence of charges, while Left-wing MP Paulina Matysiak described the lack of decisive action as an institutional failure.

Ongoing criminal and professional inquiries

The Warsaw District Prosecutor continues two active investigations into the management of Szpital Południowy. The probes focus on alleged fraud exceeding 500,000 PLN and abuse of official power within the municipal healthcare facility.

Concurrently, the Supreme Medical Chamber conducts disciplinary proceedings through its professional liability bodies. Chamber spokesperson Piotr Pisula noted that prosecutors possess broader investigative powers and can petition courts for an interim suspension of medical practice rights. To date, neither prosecutorial authorities nor medical self-governing bodies have revoked or suspended Kacprzyk's license to practice medicine.