The coordinator of INEM acknowledged failures in communicating details about minimum services during the end‑of‑2024 strike, saying late notice may have affected operations. The admission heightens scrutiny of ambulance and emergency coordination after reports of service problems; expect local delays or confusion where minimum services were not clearly publicised. For expats, this may mean slower ambulance response or disrupted non‑urgent transfers in affected areas until communication protocols are fixed.
INEM strike: workers admit communicating minimum services late
Thursday, 8 January 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica), known as INEM, coordinates Portugal’s pre-hospital emergency care, ambulance dispatch and medical response to 112 calls. It matters to expats because INEM is responsible for ambulance response times and on-scene care — incidents like the reported three-hour wait in Seixal can trigger investigations, affect public confidence and influence how quickly you can expect help in an emergency.
Minimum services (serviços mínimos) are the legally required basic services that must be maintained during a strike to protect public safety—in healthcare this typically covers emergency care, critical ambulance coverage and intensive care. They matter because the INEM workers' committee admitted that late or unclear communication about which teams would be available during the end-of-2024 strike may have reduced operational capacity and confused patients; as an expat, expect limited non-urgent care during strikes and check official updates or call 112 for true emergencies.
