Latest news and stories about healthcare in work in Portugal for expats and residents.
Health sector workers will strike on May 4th and 5th to demand better wages and improved working conditions. The union organizing the stoppage is calling for the restoration of career points and an end to the reliance on excessive overtime and long, continuous work shifts.
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.
A general public sector strike (greve da função pública) scheduled for Monday, March 23, is expected to cause significant disruptions across Portugal. The Federation of Independent Unions of Public Administration (Federação Nacional de Sindicatos Independentes da Administração Pública or Fesinap) warns that healthcare and education will be heavily affected. Those with pending immigration or citizenship processes at the Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) or the Institute of Registries and Notaries (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado or IRN) should prepare for delays or rescheduling.
Health Minister Ana Paula Martins admitted the government cannot meet all demands from the Nurses' Union (Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses) ahead of a planned general strike this Friday. The minister stated that while work is ongoing on some issues, the government must focus on resolving systemic problems within the National Health Service. Patients with scheduled appointments on Friday should contact their health units to check for potential cancellations or delays.
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.
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.
Health professionals at the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave) are striking to protest imposed supplementary work, with unions accusing management of forcing extra shifts at primary‑care centres. The action is affecting appointments and the availability of some services, Correio da Manhã reports. Patients in the Alto Ave area should check centre opening hours and expect appointment changes.
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.
Primary care (Cuidados de Saúde Primários) is the first level of Portugal's health system — the network of health centers (centros de saúde) and family health units (Unidades de Saúde Familiar, USF) that provide general practice consultations, nursing care, vaccinations, chronic disease management, preventive screening, and referrals to specialist care.
Every resident registered with the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) is entitled to a family doctor (médico de família), though in practice over a million people lack an assigned GP due to doctor shortages. The strength of primary care directly affects hospital pressure — when health centers are understaffed or closed, patients turn to hospital emergency departments, increasing waiting times.
Portugal has been expanding USF coverage and recruiting more GPs, but access remains uneven, particularly in rural inland areas and some Lisbon suburbs.
