Minister of Health Ana Paula Martins stated that the National Health Service (SNS) requires more than just additional resources, emphasizing the need for better organization and increased productivity. Her comments follow criticism from the Medical Association (Ordem dos Médicos), which urged the government to move beyond rhetoric and implement concrete measures to strengthen primary care.
Health Minister calls for increased NHS productivity
Tuesday, 15 September 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
If you need emergency care and a local ED is understaffed, call 112 for life‑threatening situations or contact the national health triage line (SNS 24) for urgent guidance; the operator can direct you to the nearest hospital with capacity or arrange an ambulance. As an expat, also consider local private hospitals or clinics if available and keep your health insurance details and ID ready to speed up admission.
The Ordem dos Médicos is Portugal’s professional medical association that registers doctors, enforces ethical rules and can discipline members. It issues formal opinions and can challenge health policies or laws, so its objections matter when a programme like the Waitlist Recovery Programme changes how patients are referred or treated.
4 sources
- NHS needs more professionals, reorganization, and higher productivitycmjornal.pt ·
- On the anniversary of the NHS, the minister says that problems cannot be solved "only with more resources"publico.pt ·
- Bastonário demands action and fewer "pretty words" for the NHSobservador.pt ·
- For many people, the emergency department is the gateway to the NHS. It cannot be like thiscnnportugal.iol.pt ·
