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How the SNS Works: A Foreign Resident's Complete Guide to Public Healthcare in Portugal

How the SNS Works: A Foreign Resident's Complete Guide to Public Healthcare in Portugal

How does Portugal's National Health Service work? Who can access it? What does it cost? This guide covers registration, family doctors, emergency rooms, prescriptions, private insurance, and the system's current challenges — everything a foreign resident needs to know in 2026.

Portugal's Hospitals Told Not to Increase Surgeries or Consultations in 2026 — Waiting Lists Already Topping 1.3 Million

Portugal's Hospitals Told Not to Increase Surgeries or Consultations in 2026 — Waiting Lists Already Topping 1.3 Million

The SNS Executive Directorate has instructed public hospitals not to expand surgical or consultation activity in 2026, even as waiting lists hit record levels. Hospital managers and the Ordem dos Médicos warn the decision will cause real harm to patients.

Healthcare in Portugal 2026: Complete Guide for Expats

Healthcare in Portugal 2026: Complete Guide for Expats

Everything expats need to know about healthcare in Portugal — public SNS system, private options, insurance, costs, and registration.

Nurses Set 20 March Strike as Career Dispute with Ministry of Health Reaches Breaking Point

Nurses Set 20 March Strike as Career Dispute with Ministry of Health Reaches Breaking Point

Portugal's nurses have a strike date. The Portuguese Nurses Union (SEP) announced on Wednesday that it will call its members out on 20 March, covering both morning and afternoon shifts across the country's public hospitals and health centres. The...