Latest news and stories about medical services in government in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Approximately 50 protesters gathered at the Ministry of Health to demand the preservation of gynaecology and obstetrics emergency services, marking the conclusion of a week-long campaign by the Movement of Public Service Users for increased SNS investment.
The Portuguese National Health Service is launching lung cancer screening pilot projects at the Gaia/Espinho and Santa Maria local health units following a new government order.
A protest in Lisbon highlights the deteriorating state of the NHS, with a specific focus on the controversial reorganisation of emergency services.
Mayors are seeking meetings with political parties to address the negative impact of obstetric emergency service closures on local populations, particularly those in remote areas.
Anselmo Crespo argues that the new regional emergency department in Loures fails to address the critical, long-term shortage of healthcare professionals causing service closures across Portugal.
The Beatriz Ângelo Hospital in Loures launches the first regional gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department, operating 24/7 to address healthcare staffing shortages.
A new gynaecology and obstetrics referral network is being implemented in Portugal, centralising patient flow to Loures while highlighting critical staffing shortages across multiple regional hospitals.
A new centralised obstetrics and gynaecology emergency unit is set to open at Loures Hospital to address staffing shortages and ensure 24/7 service coverage, despite ongoing challenges in other regions.
CNN Portugal spent time inside CODU, INEM’s medical call centre in Lisbon and found a centre under sustained pressure where high call volumes demand rapid, accurate triage and careful deployment of ambulances and other rescue resources. The report examines how operators prioritise calls, the protocols guiding decision-making, and the operational strain of matching limited resources to urgent needs.
Ten years ago, Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada opened the first hospital-at-home unit. Today there are already 50 Local Health Units offering this service — a way of delivering healthcare to 400 patients receiving inpatient care outside the hospital.
The Ministry of Health is awaiting a study—which should have already been delivered—to provide the basis for the Public-Private Partnerships. The private group that manages Cascais Hospital maintains its interest. The government is prioritizing hospitals currently under construction.
The screening programme starts between July and September at health centres in Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto. More than four thousand five-year-old children will be tested during their vaccination.
Fertility needs to be on the European political agenda as a public health priority. This was the central message of the 'Tackling Infertility' summit, which brought together policymakers, experts, and representatives of patient associations from several European countries in Lisbon.
Physician João Varandas Fernandes, former vice-president of CDS-PP and Benfica, has been appointed by António José Seguro to the Medical Support Service of the Presidency of the Republic. The appointment, published in the Diário da República, includes a salary equivalent to 83.80% of an advisor's pay. Varandas Fernandes, who publicly supported Seguro's presidential bid, joins other recent appointees to the Civil House, including economist Jorge Marrão and writer Francisco José Viegas. Additionally, the President has selected Adalberto Campos Fernandes to coordinate the Strategic Pact for Health.
Lisbon, Alentejo, and Braga are launching a pilot prostate cancer screening program for 20,000 patients, focusing on populations with limited access to healthcare and the early detection of the disease.
The overwhelming majority were performed by the woman's choice within the first ten weeks. The Lisbon and Tagus Valley region accounted for more than half of the pregnancy terminations that occurred in 2024.
The Portuguese government is set to initiate a pilot programme aimed at screening for prostate cancer.
The deadline for the tender to create a model B Family Health Unit in Lumiar (Lisbon) has been postponed to June 14, after one of the bidders requested a suspension, complaining about the required conditions.
The Local Health Unit (ULS) is installing the necessary equipment for the screening, and the local authority is awaiting a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, scheduled for the end of the month.
The Minister of Health addresses issues within the National Health Service, with the satirical addition of Donald Trump being hired as a temporary doctor at the Amadora-Sintra hospital.
The Ministry of National Defence and the Independent Doctors' Union (SIM) signed an agreement on Thursday, April 16, to regulate and improve the careers of civilian and military healthcare professionals at the Armed Forces Hospital (HFAR). The agreement resolves a long-standing impasse regarding career progression, including automatic advancement for consultants and the first senior assistant competition in over two decades. Defence Minister Nuno Melo highlighted the move as a priority for military health, also announcing a 14-million-euro investment in a new surgical centre and advanced medical equipment to ensure the hospital remains a centre of excellence.
The Loures City Council and the local hospital report a positive assessment of the regional obstetrics emergency service that began a month ago at the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital. Meanwhile, the Alenquer local authority has received several complaints regarding service constraints.
Imagine the revelry that is going on, of which we have no knowledge.
The evolution of family planning in Portugal and the challenges for the coming decades were discussed this Wednesday at a conference organised by Gedeon Richter, marking 50 years of these policies in the country. Expresso was involved as a media partner.
In the last year, nearly three thousand people remained in hospitals after being clinically discharged. Many because they have nowhere to go.
The National Association of Continuing Care (ANCC) warned today about the closure of two more units in the Lisbon region and lamented that this area was excluded from the addendum to the commitment with the social sector for 2026.
Hospitals in Coimbra and São José, in Lisbon, are the leaders in overtime payments. Meanwhile, the Algarve and Oeste Local Health Units (ULS) were the ones that spent the most money on temporary staff.
The Fernando Fonseca Hospital needs an immediate response: it is urgent to reinforce resources, stabilise teams, value careers, guarantee better working conditions and ensure a clinical response appropriate to the size of the population served.
The National Health Service (SNS) is the DN headline today: Lack of conditions in the general emergency department at Santa Maria led to the resignation of department heads. Reduced teams of six to eight doctors (with only two to three specialists), a daily average of 350 patients, and inpatients remaining in the emergency room for days are some of the 'failures' that led to recent resignations and contract terminations at Santa Maria, sources told DN. The administration counters that it has been making investments and hiring doctors. In the main photo, the Hungarian elections: Péter Magyar wins the election, ending 16 years of Viktor Orbán's government. Download the newspaper at the link below and see the front page in detail.
Complaints regarding the operation of the central emergency department at Hospital Santa Maria are long-standing, with staff reporting that proposed solutions were ignored by the Board of Directors. Sources describe a critical situation with daily patient volumes reaching 350, insufficient senior medical staff, and a lack of nursing support, which compromises patient safety. Following the replacement of the service director, João Gouveia, eight team leaders resigned and three doctors terminated their contracts. While the Board of Directors claims to have increased human resources spending by 50% over the last five years and disputes the severity of the staffing shortages, hospital sources warn that further departures are likely if structural issues remain unaddressed.
