Patient care news in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal

Latest news and stories about patient care in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.

Emergency technicians meet to avert upcoming strike

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The Union of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians (STEPH) is set to meet with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute for Medical Emergency (INEM) this Friday. The parties aim to reach an agreement to cancel strikes currently scheduled for September 14 and 28.

Miguel Soares de Oliveira is a doctor who served as president of INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica), Portugal's national institute for medical emergencies; he was appointed last summer and has now resigned. He declined to say whether his departure is linked to moving emergency medical training to outside providers, a change that could affect ambulance services and training arrangements.

3 sources →10 Sept

Health Minister warns of anaesthesiologist shortage

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Minister of Health Ana Paula Martins has identified a critical shortage of anaesthesiologists, particularly in the Lisbon region. The government acknowledges that this staffing gap persists beyond the summer months, raising concerns about the stability of medical services.

Ana Paula Martins is a Portuguese pharmacist and politician who has served as the Minister of Health in Portugal since April 2024. A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), she was reappointed to the position in the second government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in June 2025.

Professional Background

Pharmaceutical Leadership: She served as the President of the Order of Pharmacists (Bastonária da Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) from 2016 to 2022.

Hospital Management: She was the President of the Board of Directors of Hospital de Santa Maria (CHULN) in Lisbon from December 2022 to January 2024.

Academic Work: She holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy and has been an assistant professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon for over 20 years.

Political Career

Government Role: As Minister of Health, she has overseen the implementation of the "SNS Emergency Plan" and recently addressed issues such as INEM staffing and public-private partnerships in healthcare.

Party Leadership: She served as Vice President of the PSD under Rui Rio (2021–2022).

Parliament: She was elected as a member of the Assembly of the Republic representing the Lisbon constituency in 2024.

1 source →27 Aug

Health Minister warns of anaesthesiologist shortage

Ministry to centralize emergency services by November

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The Ministry of Health, led by Ana Paula Martins, plans to identify new regional emergency services by the end of November. The initiative aims to create a more integrated and sustainable national network, with a specific focus on evaluating orthopaedic response capacity in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region.

Professional Background

Pharmaceutical Leadership: She served as the President of the Order of Pharmacists (Bastonária da Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) from 2016 to 2022.

Hospital Management: She was the President of the Board of Directors of Hospital de Santa Maria (CHULN) in Lisbon from December 2022 to January 2024.

Academic Work: She holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy and has been an assistant professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon for over 20 years.

Political Career

Party Leadership: She served as Vice President of the PSD under Rui Rio (2021–2022).

Parliament: She was elected as a member of the Assembly of the Republic representing the Lisbon constituency in 2024.

4 sources →24 Aug

Ministry to centralize emergency services by November

São Francisco Xavier obstetrics emergency to close in August

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The Portuguese Medical Association has warned that the obstetrics emergency department at São Francisco Xavier Hospital in Lisbon will remain closed throughout August. The unit will only provide emergency responses when activated by the INEM.

2 sources →23 Jul

São Francisco Xavier obstetrics emergency to close in August

Over 1.6 million patients remain without a family doctor

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Data from the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) transparency portal shows that the number of patients without an assigned family doctor rose by nearly 66,000 in the first five months of 2025. As of May, over 1.66 million people are currently waiting for a primary care specialist.

ULS Alto Ave is the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave), a public body that runs hospitals and some primary-care services for the Ave area in northern Portugal. It is part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), and recent staff strikes have affected overtime and complementary work, so residents should check local hospital notices before visiting.

2 sources →30 Jun

Over 1.6 million patients remain without a family doctor

IT failures continue to disrupt NHS health services

📍 Lisbon 🩺 Health 🚇 Infrastructure#medical-services+2 more

Technical issues within the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) computer systems are still causing delays in prescription processing and appointment access. While the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde or SPMS) reports that systems are generally functioning, unions warn that disruptions persist in regions including Alentejo and Greater Lisbon.

Update: IT failures continue to disrupt NHS health services

Union sources confirmed that as of this weekend, specific locations still face technical barriers preventing the processing of digital medical prescriptions.

The Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde or SPMS) is the public agency responsible for managing information technology and procurement for the national health service. It handles the digital infrastructure and software systems used by hospitals and health centers across Portugal.

6 sources →13 Jun

Nurses protest in Lisbon demanding better pay

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More than 100 nurses gathered in Lisbon on Tuesday to protest for higher salaries and improved working conditions. The demonstration coincided with International Nurses Day, with union leaders highlighting the ongoing pressure on the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) and the loss of professionals.

3 sources →12 May

Nurses protest in Lisbon demanding better pay

INEM denies hospital transport for blind patient

📍 Lisbon 🩺 Health ⚖️ Legal#medical-services+2 more

The National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) is under scrutiny after its emergency dispatch centre, the CODU, reportedly refused to authorize hospital transport for a 55-year-old blind man. Although the CODU initially dispatched an ambulance from the Arruda dos Vinhos fire department to the Marvila area in Lisbon, it later denied the patient admission to the hospital. Firefighters proceeded to transport the man to the Hospital de São José regardless of the instruction.

INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica) is Portugal's national emergency medical service, responsible for coordinating and providing pre-hospital emergency care. It operates the country's emergency medical dispatch system, activated through the European emergency number 112.

INEM deploys ambulances (including basic and advanced life support units), medical helicopters (VMER), and motorcycle response units across Portugal. It also manages the CODU (Centro de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes) — the emergency call centers that triage incoming 112 calls and dispatch the appropriate medical response.

INEM has faced persistent challenges including ambulance shortages, staffing gaps (particularly among emergency medical technicians), and long response times in rural areas. These issues have made INEM a frequent subject of political debate, with calls for better funding, improved working conditions, and expanded coverage. Residents should know that calling 112 connects to INEM's triage system, and knowing your exact location speeds up emergency response.

The CODU (Centro de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes) is the emergency medical dispatch center responsible for coordinating urgent pre-hospital care in Portugal. It operates under the National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) to assess medical emergencies and dispatch the appropriate resources, such as ambulances or helicopters.

1 source →26 Apr

INEM denies hospital transport for blind patient

Nurses' union schedules national strike for May 12

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The Portuguese Nurses' Union (Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses or SEP) has announced a national strike for May 12. The industrial action will span the public, private, and social sectors as nurses demand government intervention to address long-standing professional grievances.

The Portuguese Nurses' Union (Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses) is the main trade union representing nurses in Portugal. It announced a strike for 20 March 2026, which can disrupt hospital routines and appointments in the public health service, so those relying on public care should check services and plan accordingly.

2 sources →20 Apr

Nurses' union schedules national strike for May 12

Protest held for obstetric emergency services

📍 Lisbon 🩺 Health 🏛️ Government#healthcare+3 more

Approximately 50 people demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Health in Lisbon this Saturday to demand the continuation of obstetric and gynecological emergency services. The protest, organized by the Movement of Users of Public Services, called for increased investment in the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS).

The Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital (Maternidade Alfredo da Costa, commonly known as MAC) is Lisbon's principal public maternity facility and one of the busiest maternity units in Portugal's National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde).

Located in central Lisbon, the MAC is a referral center for high-risk pregnancies and complex neonatal care. It handles a large volume of births annually and serves as a teaching hospital affiliated with Lisbon's medical schools.

The MAC has been at the center of recurring debates about maternity ward closures and staffing shortages across Portugal's public health system. Expectant parents in the Lisbon area may be referred to the MAC for specialist care or diverted there when other maternity units temporarily close due to staff shortages.

2 sources →11 Apr

Protest held for obstetric emergency services

INEM denies hospital transport for blind patient

📍 Lisbon 🩺 Health ⚖️ Legal#medical-services+2 more

1 source →26 Apr

Minister of Health concerned about the shortage of anaesthesiologists

Ministry of Health expects centralized emergency services to be identified by the end of November

Why I requested the annulment of the USF Lumiar tender

Wait of over five hours for urgent patients during peak heat

INEM refuses hospitalisation for blind patient

Lung cancer screening pilot projects launch at Gaia/Espinho and Santa Maria Local Health Units

Platform holds protest in Lisbon to denounce deteriorating conditions in the NHS

The word tuberculosis still carries a stigma, but the disease is curable and Artificial Intelligence now provides diagnoses in seconds

HIV: experts debate priorities for infection response

Santa Maria leaves bladder cancer patients waiting for access to innovative treatment approved in March

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