Healthcare system, public health, medical news, and wellness updates from Portugal.
From 1 November the Santa Casa da Misericórdia runs São João da Madeira's hospital for the SNS: referred consultations in 15 specialties, a basic emergency service and day surgery, for 13.85 million euros a year over 10 years. Doctors' union says the benefits are unproven.
From Sunday, people already in opioid treatment in Albufeira, Loulé, Portalegre, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Santiago do Cacém and Vila do Bispo can take methadone at a local pharmacy on referral. The state pays pharmacies 30 euros a month per patient.
The SNS account is forecast to close 2027 at minus 2,679 million euros, about double this year. Ana Paula Martins told MPs that is a needs estimate, not a loss, promised another wave of PPPs and said private hospitals opened unregulated.
SINACC, which replaces the SIGIC surgery list system, was due on 1 August but was suspended after doctors objected. Its waiting time limits already apply. What changes for patients, what is not yet published, and what to do now.
A despacho published on 30 October tells ACSS to prepare a proposal for a possible PPP to design, build, finance and maintain the new Barcelos-Esposende hospital. The private partner would only handle the building; the public ULS keeps management and patient care.
ANEM surveyed about 700 students at Portugal's 11 medical schools: 36 percent are considering working abroad, and most want shorter hours and better pay. Official data show 469 specialist training places went unfilled this year.
A normative order published on 28 October lets specialist nurse midwives run low-risk antenatal care and request tests and scans in health centres whose local health unit adopts the model, with a named doctor still in the loop.
