Sanepid Inspection at a Physiotherapy Practice - What It Checks

1 April 2026Michał Nowak

A conversation with a colleague who works in healthcare always ends the same way: "We had a sanitary inspection recently.

A conversation with a colleague who works in healthcare always ends the same way: "We had a sanitary inspection recently. Chaos!" Does an inspection really have to be chaos? No. In this article we'll explain exactly what the State Sanitary Inspectorate does, what it checks at a physiotherapy practice, and -- most importantly -- how to prepare for an inspection so it goes smoothly and without surprises.

What is the State Sanitary Inspectorate and what are its powers?

Before we talk about inspections, we need to understand who the inspectors are and what the law authorises them to do.

Definition of Sanepid

The State Sanitary Inspectorate (PIS), commonly known as Sanepid, is a public administration body overseeing the health of living and working conditions. In practice, Sanepid inspects:

Medical facilities (hospitals, outpatient clinics, doctors' surgeries, dental practices, physiotherapy practices)
Food and catering establishments
Water and sewage treatment plants
Working conditions and occupational safety

Legal basis

Sanepid's powers derive from:

The State Sanitary Inspectorate Act of 14 March 1985
The Act of 5 December 2008 on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans (Article 16 -- the duty to implement procedures protecting against infections)
The Ministry of Health Regulation of 26 March 2019 on requirements for the premises and equipment of entities performing healthcare activity

This law gives Sanepid the right to enter your practice and check whether you meet the requirements.

IMPORTANT: Professional practice vs. healthcare entity -- who is subject to inspection?

This is the most important issue for physiotherapists. The answer matters to you financially and in terms of time.

Professional practice

You work alone -- an individual practice registered in the RPWDL
Subject to Sanepid supervision just like a healthcare entity -- an inspection can be planned or triggered (patient complaint, incident)
In practice small clinics are inspected less often, but "less often" does not mean "never" -- the law does not exempt practices from supervision

Healthcare entity

The form for larger operations -- e.g. when you employ physiotherapists to provide services (a receptionist alone or an NFZ contract does not turn a practice into a healthcare entity)
Also subject to Sanepid supervision; the law does not set a fixed inspection frequency -- the inspectorate follows its own plans and reports

Whatever the form: the question is not "can they come", but "are you ready when they do".

What does the inspection procedure look like in practice?

Not knowing the procedure causes panic. Knowing the procedure, you'll be calm.

Stage 1: Notice of inspection

Sanepid usually sends a letter to the practice's address with a 30-day (rarely: 14-day) window. The letter contains:

Case number
Date and time of inspection (or an indication that it may be unannounced)
Names of the inspector(s)
Contact details for the voivodeship sanitary inspector

Sometimes the inspection is unannounced (for higher-risk entities, or if there's been a violation).

Stage 2: Preparation (14-30 days)

You have time. Use it. Keep reading to know what to do.

Stage 3: The inspection itself (2-4 hours)

The inspector arrives at the scheduled time. They present themselves and their requirements:

Visual inspection of the premises -- goes through every room
Conversation with you -- asks about procedures, training, incidents
Checking documentation -- registers, contracts, safety data sheets
Sample collection (sometimes) -- water, surface swabs

The inspection is generally official but not aggressive. The inspector is doing their job -- checking compliance with the law.

Stage 4: The report

After the inspection the inspector drafts a report. The outcome can be:

No comments -- Great! Everything meets the requirements
With comments -- You must fix specific things within a specified period (usually 30-90 days)
With a ban -- The practice doesn't comply with requirements. You can't work until it's fixed (rare)

You receive the report in writing. You can disagree with it and initiate an administrative appeal -- but that's a last resort.

What exactly do inspectors check? The full list

Here's what Sanepid inspectors focus on. This is your checklist.

1. Sanitary condition of the premises

The inspector will look at:

Cleanliness of floors -- no dirt, dust, stray hair
Condition of walls -- peeling paint, mould, dirt
Furniture and equipment -- whether they can be easily cleaned, whether they're in good condition
Windows and blinds -- whether they let in light, whether they can be cleaned
Waste -- whether it's segregated, whether it's not lying on the floor

Practical advice: do a thorough clean 48 hours before the inspection. It's not about perfection, but about showing you care about hygiene.

2. Disinfection and sterilisation procedures

This is a key point. The inspector will ask:

Which disinfectants do you use? -- You must be able to show labels and safety data sheets (SDS)
How often do you disinfect? -- Procedure: at least once a day, or after every patient (for items in direct contact)
Do you keep a disinfection log? -- A document where you record the date, time, what you disinfected, who did it

Example log entry:

```

2026-04-01, 08:30, Room A -- all surfaces, table, stool

Agent: Mikrobex 0.5%, exposure time 10 minutes

Employee: Jan Kowalski

```

3. Safety data sheets (SDS) -- chemical safety

For every disinfectant you use, you must have a safety data sheet (SDS). The sheet contains:

Chemical composition
Hazards (toxicity, flammability, etc.)
Safe usage instructions
Contraindications

The inspector will ask: "Do you have an SDS for this disinfectant?" If not -- that's a defect. The disinfectant manufacturer must provide an SDS.

Tip: Keep the SDSs in a folder or binder. Store them accessibly, so you can show them quickly.

4. Disinfection and sterilisation log

Do you keep a log documenting every disinfection? It must contain:

Date and time
Room or item (e.g. "table in room A," "skirting board")
Agent used
Exposure time (how many minutes the disinfectant sat)
Person responsible

The log can be paper or electronic. The inspector will check it for consistency: are disinfections carried out regularly? Are there large gaps (over 48 hours)?

5. Medical waste management

Medical waste isn't just syringes. It also includes:

Infectious waste -- paper covers that an infected patient sat on
Chemical waste -- spilt disinfectants, leftover medication
Sharps -- e.g. needles after dry needling (infectious waste 18 01 03*, rigid container)
General waste -- paper, plastic that hasn't touched blood

Requirement: Waste must be segregated into designated bins (a colour for each type). The inspector will check:

Whether waste is in the appropriate bins?
Whether the bins are labelled?
Whether infectious waste is stored in line with the rules (up to 72 hours above 10°C, up to 30 days at 10°C or below) and recorded in BDO?
Whether there's a contract with a waste collector in place?

The contract is a document confirming you've arranged transport and disposal of waste with a licensed company.

CTA: See FizjoReady packages →
Don't know how to segregate medical waste? FizjoReady has prepared a Medical Waste Segregation Procedure template for physiotherapy practices. Available in the FULL package (799 PLN) -- a ready-made document you can start using immediately.

6. Staff health and safety training

If you employ anyone (even part-time), they must undergo training in:

Chemical safety (how to use disinfectants)
Personal hygiene (hand washing, gloves)
Waste handling
First aid

The inspector will ask: "Do your employees have training certificates?" If you answer "no," that's a violation.

In practice: health and safety training takes 4-8 hours and costs 100-200 PLN per employee. It's organised by companies specialising in training, or by public health centres.

7. Medical equipment documentation

If you have equipment (TENS, ultrasound, magnetotherapy), you must have:

Original instructions from the manufacturer (in Polish or English)
CE certificates or conformity documents
A service card -- if the device requires an annual inspection
An inspection log -- dates when a technician checked the device

The inspector might pick up your TENS unit and ask: "Where's the CE certificate?" If you don't have one -- that's a violation.

8. Access to running water and ventilation

The inspector will check:

Does the washbasin in the treatment room work?
Is there hot and cold water?
Do the windows open (natural ventilation)?
Does air conditioning/mechanical ventilation work (if you have it)?

These are basic requirements. No access to water = a serious violation.

9. Patient register and medical data

This is usually handled more by a data protection inspector (if you work with the NFZ). But Sanepid may also check:

Do you have a patient list?
Do you document accidents/complications?
Is medical data kept secure (locked, accessible only to authorised persons)?

Documents you must have on hand BEFORE an inspection

If you're preparing for an inspection, prepare these documents:

1. Practice hygiene plan

A document describing how you maintain hygiene. It should contain:

Hand-washing procedure
Surface disinfection procedure
Equipment disinfection procedure
Waste handling procedure
Patient isolation procedure (privacy)
Staff training procedure

Example excerpt:

```

Disinfection of surfaces in the treatment room

When: After every patient, or at least once a day

What: Floor, table, stool, skirting board

Agent: Mikrobex 0.5% (SDS available at the workstation)

Exposure time: 10 minutes

Ventilation: Window open for 5 minutes after disinfection

Employee: Designated by the manager

```

2. Disinfection log

A paper document where you record every disinfection. It must be available and up to date.

3. Medical waste segregation procedure

A document describing how you segregate waste. It should contain:

Types of waste
Bin colour for each type
Loading procedure
Contract with a waste collector
Dates of last collection

4. Safety data sheets (SDS)

For every disinfectant -- original documents from the manufacturer.

5. Health and safety training certificates

For every employee -- a document confirming they've completed the training.

6. Medical equipment certificates

CE marks, instructions, service cards for every device.

7. Contract with a waste collector

The original contract, or confirmation that waste collection has been arranged.

8. Patient documentation (if you work with the NFZ)

Patient register, diagnosis records, records.

Example inspection -- how it looks in practice

Imagine a typical inspection:

[SP] Example -- Solo practice:
Ania works as a physiotherapist in a professional practice. She received a letter from Sanepid announcing an inspection in 14 days.

Ania made a list:
1. Thorough cleaning of the practice (moving the treatment table to clean underneath, cleaning the blinds)
2. Preparing the disinfection log (printing it out and filling in the last 3 months)
3. Gathering SDSs (she contacted the wholesaler to get the sheets)
4. Preparing a contract with a waste collector (she signed a contract with a company called UTW-2)

Inspection day. The inspector arrives at 10:00. Ania opens the door. The inspector:
- Inspects the room (satisfied: clean)
- Asks about procedures (Ania shows the hygiene plan)
- Checks the disinfection log (everything's in order)
- Requests the SDSs (Ania pulls out the folder with the sheets)
- Asks about employees (Ania works alone, doesn't apply)
- Checks the waste collection contract (it's there)

Outcome: No comments. A report with no reservations.

[GR] Example -- Group practice:
"Centrum Zdrowia" Ltd has an annual inspection. This time the inspector will be particularly thorough, because there was recently a patient complaint.

The manager, Magda, prepares over a month:
1. Runs health and safety training for the whole team (3 people)
2. Updates the hygiene plan (adding new procedures for the TENS device they just bought)
3. Compiles all the disinfection logs (paper, from the last 6 months)
4. Checks the waste collection contract (collected every 2 weeks)
5. Prepares the patient documentation (to show everything is documented)

Inspection day. The inspector spends 3 hours. Checks every room. Talks to staff (everyone must know how to segregate waste). Takes a swab from the table's surface (a bacteriological test). At the end, drafts a report.

Outcome: One minor comment -- the SDS for the new disinfectant was in the office, not at the workstation. Magda had to move the SDS to the practice within 14 days. Resolved.

Frequently asked questions

Can an inspector come without notice?

Yes -- if there's a reason (a patient complaint, suspicion of a violation). But usually they come with notice. If you keep things in order, an announced inspection is 100% better than an unannounced one.

What happens if I have comments?

You'll usually have a period (30-90 days) to fix them. The inspector comes back to check whether you've made the corrections. If you have -- it's over. If not -- they may initiate administrative proceedings, possibly up to a ban on working.

Can I disagree with the inspection results?

Yes -- you can appeal against the inspector's findings through administrative proceedings. This rarely happens, but it's your right. You must file an appeal with the voivodeship sanitary inspector within 14 days of receiving the report.

Do I need liability insurance to pass a sanitary inspection?

No -- these are separate requirements. Sanepid checks hygiene. Liability insurance is checked by the NFZ or an insurer. But if you work with the NFZ, you'll need liability insurance (it's a contractual requirement).

CTA: See FizjoReady packages →
Want to be 100% sure you'll pass the inspection? FizjoReady offers the Full Compliance Package (799 PLN) -- it includes:
- A practice hygiene plan (ready-made document)
- A disinfection log template
- A waste segregation procedure
- An inspection preparation checklist
- Email consultation with an expert

Summary

A sanitary inspection isn't a disaster if you're prepared. Key steps:

Understand the difference between a professional practice (smaller requirements) and a healthcare entity (larger)
Know what's checked -- sanitary condition, disinfection, waste, documentation
Prepare the documents -- hygiene plan, logs, SDSs, contracts
Maintain hygiene every day -- not just before an inspection
Don't panic -- the inspector does their job, you do yours

An inspection is an opportunity to show you care about patient safety. Prepare with dignity.

Related articles:
- Premises requirements for a physiotherapy practice -- what does your space need?
- Physiotherapist liability insurance -- is it mandatory?
- Physiotherapy practice registration -- a complete step-by-step guide