Latest news and stories about patient care in government in Setúbal, Portugal for expats and residents.
The Portuguese government has mandated that hospitals must ensure timely abortion services and cover associated costs following reports of service disruptions at Garcia de Orta Hospital due to staffing shortages and planning failures.
The Left Bloc has requested an urgent ministerial hearing following the suspension of voluntary pregnancy termination services at Garcia de Orta Hospital, raising concerns that abortion access is becoming a right in name only.
Barreiro Hospital faces critical emergency department delays, with patients experiencing 17-hour wait times due to severe medical staff shortages.
Dozens of citizens gathered at a public forum in Setúbal, organized by the PCP, to protest against the current state of the NHS, citing critical shortages of doctors and the risk of service collapses.
The Garcia de Orta Hospital faces potential overcrowding and staffing shortages as it becomes a regional hub following the permanent closure of the Barreiro obstetrics emergency department.
A professional network is advocating for fair funding in continuing care units to address critical staffing shortages, with formal recommendations due to the government by June.
Mayors in Barreiro are opposing the closure of the obstetrics and gynaecology emergency unit, citing that over 16,000 births have occurred there between 2014 and 2024. They find the decision to close the unit incomprehensible, especially in light of ongoing healthcare challenges, such as ambulances being held for hours at other emergency departments due to high patient volumes.
According to the President of the Medical Association, 30% of the population in the Alentejo Coast region lacks access to primary healthcare. The health unit serving the region has 'about 25 doctors'.
In the Alentejo Coast, 30% of the population lacks support in primary healthcare.
The gathering is scheduled for 5:00 PM in front of the Alcochete Health Centre in the Setúbal district, and comes four months after a public forum held near the Samouco health centre.
The Secretary-General of the PCP accuses the Government of viewing abortion services as a 'business opportunity'. User committees have already denounced the situation, and the Local Health Unit (ULS) states it is unable to guarantee timely responses for women.
Since August 10, the Garcia de Orta Hospital has not been able to guarantee abortion services. The Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit (ULS) has signed a protocol with a private entity. The PS wants to know for how long and at what cost.
The IGAS inspected the Arrábida Local Health Unit (ULS) between April and May 2025 and found flaws in regional planning and rotation. A shortage of specialists compromised the duty rosters.
Members of Parliament are questioning the specific reasons that led to the suspension of abortion services at the Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada.
According to the inspection report, during the audit period, the emergency department operated fully on only two days.
Livre has requested an urgent hearing with the ULSAS regarding the suspension of abortions at Garcia de Orta hospital, joining the criticisms and requests for clarification from the PS, PCP, and BE.
The Livre party requested an urgent hearing today with the board of directors of the Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit (ULSAS) regarding the suspension of voluntary pregnancy terminations (IVG) at the Garcia de Orta hospital.
The Livre parliamentary group highlights that the Garcia de Orta Hospital has centralised the gynaecology and obstetrics emergency services for the Setúbal peninsula since April, with several difficulties reported in its implementation.
The inspection points to a shortage of specialists, the absence of a department director, and 'ineffective' regional coordination. Four doctors left in 2025 and have not been replaced.
Work planning to ensure the Gynaecology and Obstetrics service at the Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit between 13 April and 4 May 2025 was not carried out adequately, an inspection concluded.
The Left Bloc requested an urgent hearing with Ana Paula Martins in September. The Garcia de Orta Hospital has suspended abortion services and is referring women to private clinics, with no clear timeline for resumption.
The Amada-Seixal Local Health Unit (ULS) confirmed it is unable to guarantee timely responses for women seeking abortions and has established a protocol with another facility.
Report points to structural and operational weaknesses in the service's functioning
Garcia de Orta Hospital has suspended abortion consultations and is referring women to private clinics. Ana Paula Martins guarantees that the costs are the responsibility of the health unit.
The party believes there is a risk that this will become merely “a right on paper”.
The Ministry of Health states that when a National Health Service unit cannot perform a voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) within legal deadlines, it must refer the patient to another officially recognised facility and cover the costs, in compliance with the law. This response follows questions from the Socialist Party (PS) regarding the suspension of abortion services at Garcia de Orta Hospital. The Ministry cites Law 16/2007 and Ordinance 741-A/2007, which mandate that health facilities must ensure access to the procedure through collaboration with other units when internal resources, such as conscientious objectors, prevent them from doing so. The Ministry did not provide a timeline for the resumption of services at the hospital or specific details on reinforcing human resources, despite concerns raised by Socialist MP Elza Pais regarding the reliance on private clinics.
The Socialist Party (PS) has formally questioned the government regarding the suspension of Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy (IVG) services at Garcia de Orta Hospital. The party is seeking clarification on when services will resume, what measures are being taken to address staff shortages at the Almada-Seixal Local Health Unit, and what guarantees exist that outsourcing these procedures to the private sector will remain a temporary measure. The PS expressed concern that such outsourcing could lead to a permanent shift of reproductive health services away from the National Health Service (SNS), potentially creating barriers for vulnerable women.
The author reflects on a 2023 phone call from Ana Paula Martins, then head of Hospital de Santa Maria, regarding a journalist's report on a woman denied timely access to an abortion. While the author initially felt hopeful about Martins's empathy, the ongoing systemic failures in the National Health Service (SNS) regarding abortion access—exacerbated by high rates of 'selective' conscientious objection—suggest that the gesture may have been performative. The article calls for urgent regulatory reform, including the potential use of specialized nurses and telemedicine, to ensure women's legal rights are upheld.
The situation is due to a “lack of human resources,” according to users, who intend to question the ULS Board of Directors.
