Latest news and stories about medical services in government in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Sandra Cavaca stated that social care beds in nursing homes have increased from 65 to 90 and an “emergency commission” has been created to manage the service until it is possible to stabilise and attract more doctors.
Summoned to the Health Committee, Sandra Cavaca downplayed her lack of experience in hospital management and acknowledged that she accepted the challenge of leading the Amadora-Sintra Local Health Unit in a “scenario of great difficulty”.
Unanimous agreement among PS, PSD, CDU, and Chega. The mayor warns that 250,000 people are now more than 50 km and one hour away from the nearest obstetric emergency service.
Pregnant women from the five municipalities previously covered by the emergency department will now be treated in Loures, which has become the first regional emergency unit for this specialty.
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.
Rui Calafate, a commentator for CNN Portugal, argues that the proposal to turn the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital in Loures into the country's first regional emergency department is important to prevent people from having to travel long distances, but notes that a solution for the healthcare system still does not exist.
This was one of the ways found by the Ministry of Health to minimise the constraints on emergency services for this specialty.
The five mayors of the region contest the measure and state they are concerned that the closure of the Vila Franca de Xira maternity ward may follow. This was what they told the Minister of Health this morning.
The model began operating this morning at the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital. Mayors of the municipalities affected by the closure of the service in Vila Franca de Xira met with the minister and promise to continue fighting.
Loures will now receive pregnant women from Vila Franca de Xira. Officials state that the service is finally organised.
The mayor of Vila Franca de Xira promises to continue the fight. He says the minister did not commit to reversing the closure of the local emergency room, despite mentioning a temporary solution.
The Beatriz Ângelo Hospital begins covering obstetrics emergencies for Vila Franca de Xira today, but does it have the capacity to handle double the number of patients?
The management of Loures Hospital believes that the centralisation of emergency services will result in a better response to the needs of pregnant women. The EU has asked Guterres for help regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
The Mayor of Loures, Ricardo Leão, reacts to the hospital reorganization by emphasizing that local infrastructure must be used “to its full potential”. However, in statements to CNN Portugal, the mayor issues a serious warning to the authorities: without an effective reinforcement of medical staff, the new model risks congestion and operational collapse.
Speaking to Antena 1's 'Ponto Central', the president of the National Commission for Women's Health explains that the new emergency department will guarantee a response for all pregnant women in the region, creating 'greater stability in the system'. The regional gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department at Loures Hospital opens full-time this Monday. It is the first emergency unit created under this new model, which aims to address the shortage of doctors and the situation of specialist emergency departments that are constantly closing.
Speaking to Antena 1's “Ponto Central”, the president of the National Commission for Women's Health explains that the new emergency department will guarantee a response for all pregnant women in the region, creating “greater stability in the system”. The regional gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department at Loures Hospital opens full-time this Monday. It is the first emergency unit created under this new model, which aims to address the shortage of doctors and the situation of specialist emergency departments that are constantly closing.
In an interview with CNN Portugal, Diogo Ayres de Campos, president of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Societies, confirms that the concentration model is being finalised to respond to the crisis in emergency departments. The specialist points to the “total incapacity” of the system and reveals that the situation at the Vila Franca de Xira Hospital is critical, with no room to support the network.
The Loures-Odivelas/Tejo Estuary gynaecology and obstetrics emergency unit, which will provide perinatal support, will be operational 24 hours a day starting this Monday, according to the NHS.
Starting today, the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital will also cover obstetric emergencies for Vila Franca de Xira, a restructuring that was often postponed, which did not prevent the usual opposition.
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.
