Users who have no contact with the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) may lose their assigned family doctor (médico de família) starting in June. Separately, health officials are warning foreign mothers to prioritize prenatal care following a report on fetal mortality rates. The National Health Council (Conselho Nacional de Saúde or CNS) also warned that service cuts are already occurring across the country despite growing demand. SNS patients should be aware that regular contact with their health unit is necessary to maintain their registration.

Data indicates that infant mortality rates during pregnancy and the first year of life are higher for children of foreign mothers compared to Portuguese mothers, prompting calls for improved healthcare integration and outreach.

The Central Administration of the Health System (Administração Central do Sistema de Saúde or ACSS) clarified that new registration rules for primary care will not result in patients losing access to the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS). The update aims to clean up patient lists that do not reflect reality and ensure family doctors (médicos de família) can focus on those needing regular care. SNS patients should be aware that these administrative changes are intended to improve service efficiency rather than restrict care.

António José Seguro, set to assume the presidency, prioritizes health in his first year and has indicated he will veto any labor legislation changes proposed by the government if they lack consensus in Social Concertation.

The article discusses the necessity for the State to increase funding for the social sector to adequately address the costs associated with an aging population, ensuring universal access to care for all individuals.

The article discusses concerns regarding the dehumanization of healthcare services in the Alentejo Litoral region of Portugal, as highlighted by Vítor Proença, President of CIMAL. During a meeting with local municipalities and social institutions, Proença expressed alarm over reports of inadequate care at the Hospital do Litoral Alentejano, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as the elderly and sick. The meeting aimed to address these issues as part of a broader initiative to enhance healthcare in the region. Proença emphasized the importance of understanding local experiences to formulate effective proposals for improving health services.

Whether you are navigating the complexities of expat life, seeking to heal past wounds, or simply looking for your next chapter of purpose, having a therapist who understands your cultural The post Clinical Psychology & Holistic Coaching in the Algarve appeared first on Portugal Resident.

The Algarve is preparing to launch its first privately managed Family Health Units (USF) in the latter half of this year, a development that is generating significant discussion and concern among local communities and healthcare professionals.

Update: New Developments on Health Services The Health Regulatory Entity (ERS) has begun an investigation into access constraints to cardiac surgery for users of the National Health Service (SNS), amid concerns that patients have died waiting for procedures. This situation has raised alarms as the Algarve prepares to implement its new privately managed health units, highlighting ongoing issues within the public healthcare system.

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has enacted a decree to address significant delays in medical board assessments for disability, highlighting the urgency of the situation with tens of thousands of pending cases and unacceptable waiting times.

The SNS aims for timely diagnosis, but the contracted imaging sector reveals a disconnect between regulations and real-world needs, leading to increased healthcare costs.

A public procurement process has been launched to build the new Central Hospital of the Algarve in Parque da Cidades, adjacent to the Algarve Stadium. The competitive tender marks a major step towards expanding regional healthcare capacity and modernising medical infrastructure. Located in a strategic urban area, the project is likely to strengthen access to a wider range of medical services for local residents and the expatriate community, attract investment and create construction and long-term healthcare jobs. Key issues to monitor include the procurement timeline, budget and financing structure, service mix and potential impacts on existing facilities and regional healthcare planning.

Portugal has recorded its lowest rate of cardiovascular mortality in thirty years, marking a significant improvement in public health.

The sustainability of health systems necessitates proactive government measures that extend beyond immediate responses, addressing structural challenges and acknowledging health as a vital infrastructure for the nation.

Specialist nurses in Maternal and Obstetric Health will assume follow-up care for low‑risk pregnant women registered in Local Health Units (ULS) experiencing shortages of family doctors. The SNS Executive Board will publish the specific units where this alternative care model will be introduced. Analytically, the move aims to maintain antenatal continuity and patient safety amid GP shortfalls by leveraging nursing scope of practice, but it raises implementation questions around training standards, referral pathways for complications, regulatory oversight and monitoring of outcomes.

António José Seguro’s initial measures foreground a dual focus on health and institutional accountability: a Health Pact aimed at ensuring timely, patient-centred care and policies to bolster Portugal’s strategic autonomy, alongside strengthened scrutiny of the Presidency and a commitment that the prosecutor and the justice system ‘do their job’. Analytically, these priorities signal an attempt to balance immediate public‑health delivery and patient safety with broader governance reforms that emphasise transparency, legal oversight and national policy resilience—moves that will shape public policy debate and affect both domestic and expatriate communities.

The ULS of Leiria is currently providing assistance to professionals, but there are concerns regarding the expected demand for support in the next three months.

The 2025 Balance Report highlights a critical health scenario in Portugal, indicating a 'multidimensional crisis' characterized by significant complaints primarily from the private sector, while the National Health Service (SNS) faces the most severe challenges. The report emphasizes the erosion of trust among users in the healthcare system.

In 2025, over two thousand professionals retired from the NHS, raising concerns about the potential impact on patient care and public safety. Reports indicate that this mass retirement could lead to significant challenges in healthcare delivery, prompting calls for urgent reforms to address staffing shortages and ensure continued quality of care.

The Ministry of Health has mobilised over 2,500 professionals from Local Health Units to ensure that healthcare services continue uninterrupted for populations in affected regions, emphasizing the commitment to patient safety and care continuity.

In January, the SNS reported a 28% reduction in the number of days with closed emergency services, which the executive director attributes largely to increased utilization of the SNS 24 hotline, leading to improved waiting times for patients.

In Portugal, over 450,000 individuals are living after a cancer diagnosis, highlighting a shift in healthcare towards focusing on the needs of cancer survivors rather than just treating patients. This change emphasizes the importance of ongoing care and support for those who have overcome cancer.

A new study warns that, by 2050, extreme heat could expose almost half of the world’s population to dangerous conditions — and that global preparedness is inadequate. The analysis projects marked increases in heatwave frequency and intensity, with disproportionate impacts on urban populations, workers, older people and lower-income communities, creating risks for health, wellbeing, labour productivity, displacement and sustainability. Authors call for urgent mitigation (deep emissions cuts) alongside targeted adaptation: heat-resilient infrastructure, equitable access to cooling and water, early-warning systems and planning to reduce inequitable risks.

This article explains what clinicians and expectant mothers mean when they say paracetamol is “safe in pregnancy”. It clarifies that safety is relative: paracetamol is generally recommended as the first-line option for fever and mild-to-moderate pain because evidence from trials and guideline reviews shows a favorable risk–benefit profile compared with alternatives, but observational studies have suggested possible small associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes (eg, ADHD, ASD) that remain uncertain and may reflect confounding. Practical guidance is summarised: use the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary time, avoid routine long-term or high-dose use, seek personalised advice from a healthcare professional (especially for repeated or high-dose use), and consider non-drug measures where appropriate. The piece emphasises evidence limitations, the importance of shared decision-making, and following national maternity-care guidance for expat and local patients alike.

CEPCD surveillance shows more than 4,000 cases of Candidozyma auris reported across the EU from 2013–2023, with an apparent surge recorded in 2025. In Portugal the pathogen was first confirmed in eight patients at a northern hospital in 2023. The pattern underscores nurses’ frontline role in detection, infection control and patient care, and highlights gaps in surveillance, preparedness and resource allocation that must be addressed to limit spread and protect vulnerable patients and healthcare staff.

As of mid‑January, almost 2,800 patients were still in public hospitals awaiting social care support or placement in continuing (long‑term) care: DE‑SNS data show 734 awaiting a social‑care response and 2,034 awaiting a continuing‑care place. Between 1 and 14 January this year, 61 patients were admitted to social care (58 via District Centres of Social Security and 3 via the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon). A ministerial order revising institutional coordination comes into force on Wednesday.