Education and healthcare
Educational and health services in the Ústí nad Labem Region respond to the demographic and social needs of the region. The distribution of schools follows the population density and the capacity of schools adapts to population changes. Access to health care is mainly concentrated in industrial areas, while it is more limited on the outskirts of the region. The most important institutions are Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem in the field of education and Krajská zdravotní, a. s. in the field of health care.
Education
In the Ústí nad Labem region, 461 kindergartens, 332 primary schools and 151 secondary schools were registered in 2023. Their distribution largely copies the population density of individual parts of the region. The fulfilment depends on population development, which is going through waves of stronger and weaker age groups, to which the structure and capacity of schools responds with a delay.
The Ústí nad Labem region has long been ranked at the bottom of various comparative tests of student competencies among the regions of the Czech Republic. One of the causes is the low starting level of children entering the initial education process due to the higher number of pupils from socially less stimulating environments. The increased percentage of pupils who do not complete primary education is also problematic. Here, AD MEC Bílina stands out negatively.
One of the important tasks of the Ústí nad Labem region in the field of education is that it is the founder of the vast majority of secondary schools. The total capacity of secondary education in the region is nearly 60,000 places.
The only university based in the Ústí nad Labem region is Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. About 8,000 students study at its eight faculties.
Healthcare
Access to health services is uneven in the Ústí nad Labem region. Most of the capacities of outpatient and inpatient care are concentrated in the core area of the region (Ústí-Chomutov agglomeration), while in the peripheral areas the availability of medical care is worse. The problem is the lower number of doctors and medical facilities per capita compared to the Czech Republic and, on the other hand, the worsened health status of the population in the region due to the deteriorated environment. The number of hospital admissions in the Ústí nad Labem region, as well as the incidence of serious diseases, is consistently higher than the national average.
The most important provider of health services in the region is Krajská zdravotní, a.s., which brings together seven hospitals in the Ústí nad Labem region: Děčín, Ústí nad Labem, Teplice, Most, Chomutov, Litoměřice and Rumburk. It is also the largest employer in the region.
The spa industry has a long tradition in health care and accompanying services in the Ústí nad Labem region. Teplice Spa in Bohemia is the oldest spa in Central Europe. Other spa facilities are located in Dubí, Klášterec nad Ohří and Mšené-Lázně.
