In late May 2024, the Portuguese Government approved the Health Emergency and Transformation Plan to implement urgent and priority measures that guarantee access to health care tailored to the needs of the population. The Plan foresees, in exceptional cases, and when the response capacity of the NHS is exhausted, the provision of services by the social and private sectors. The Plan provides 54 measures structured into five strategic axes according to three levels of priority. The timely response axis targets waiting lists, especially for oncological surgery. The babies and mothers’ safety axis includes measures for timely and safe referral of all pregnant women. The emergent and urgent care axis targets emergency departments in the NHS, both structurally and organizationally, and derives part of the services to clinics (to be created) and primary care. The axis on family health aims to increase GP coverage, particularly in deprived areas. The mental health axis aims to increase the number of psychologists at primary care and the promotion of anxiety and depression targeted programs.
More information (in Portuguese): https://www.sns.gov.pt/plano-de-emergencia-e-transformacao-na-saude