O Público reports that the National Health Service (SNS) has performed over 19,000 obesity surgeries in the last five years, with 1,811 patients currently on the waiting list and an average wait time of nearly five months. Treatment continues after patients leave the operating room. Meanwhile, Jornal de Notícias highlights that thousands of young people with disabilities lack places in support centres, forcing families to choose between elderly care homes or one parent staying home. The government is reviewing legislation for CACI and has 85 projects underway to open more places. Correio da Manhã reports that Humberto Pedrosa, owner of Barraqueiro, is offering 100 million for Herdade da Comporta, one of the most valuable assets of the Espírito Santo Group (GES).
Press Review: From the Lack of Places for Young People with Disabilities to Obesity Surgeries
Context & Explainers
Staffing and shift schedules in the SNS combine permanent doctors, residents and temporary cover (locums or overtime) arranged by each hospital's Clinical Directorate ("Direção Clínica"), which plans rotas to cover on‑call and emergency shifts. Rotas are subject to national labour rules, collective agreements and local shortages, so hospitals may use voluntary shift swaps, incentives or external contractors when regular staff are unavailable.
Obesity surgery, or bariatric surgery, refers to operations like gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy that change the stomach or digestive tract to treat severe obesity and related conditions. In Portugal the SNS has performed over 19,000 of these procedures in the last five years, with about 1,811 patients currently on the waiting list and an average wait time of nearly five months; patients also need ongoing follow‑up after surgery.
