Patient care news in Algarve, Portugal

Emergency medical technicians have announced a two-day strike for September 14 and 28 to protest the government's new organizational law for the National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM). The union, STEPH, claims the reform will remove over 100 ambulances from the emergency system by transferring them to Local Health Units (Unidades Locais de Saúde or ULS), though the INEM president maintains that response capacity will remain unaffected.

The latest recruitment competition for the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) resulted in the hiring of 273 new family doctors and 36 public health specialists. Although 62 percent of the 711 available vacancies remain unfilled, the Central Administration of the Health System (Administração Central do Sistema de Saúde or ACSS) expects these new hires to provide care for over 400,000 patients. This recruitment round represents an 18 percent increase in family doctor placements compared to last year.

Expenditure on temporary doctors, known as tarefeiros, reached 249.7 million euros in 2025, marking a 17% increase from the previous year. The National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) relies on these contracts to maintain emergency department operations, with the Algarve Local Health Unit reporting the highest costs.

Coverage argues that cuts or slower funding to the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) push some costs onto patients and boost demand for private care, while Portugal Resident reports Luzdoc has added a cardiology specialty in the western Algarve. The combination suggests private providers are expanding services to meet demand where public access is strained or slower. Patients who rely on public care or prefer private options should check waiting lists, referral rules and private clinic capacities in their region.