The filling of the 459 vacancies for hiring family doctors fell short of expectations and registered more than 130 dropouts, the National Federation of Physicians (FNAM) announced today, holding the Government responsible for the situation.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, based on data provided by the candidates, the FNAM argued that the deficit in the establishment of family doctors in the National Health Service (SNS) will have left "about 200 thousand patients" without a professional dedicated to their ongoing health.
The lack of family doctors is especially bad in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region, which didn't even manage to fill half of the 230 vacancies available, but the situation also extended to the regions of Alentejo (26 vacancies) and Algarve (28), both with a fill rate of less than 60% . In the North of the country however, the situation is completely different with 100% of the 88 vacancies filled.
"The responsibility lies with the Government, which insists on not properly supporting the Portuguese national health service and its family doctors, completely overwhelmed with oversized patient lists, meaning they are still monitoring patients that weren't fully treated in 2020. The need for these doctors to assist within Covid-19 vaccination and testing centres has only worsened the situation”, said the medical union.
Stressing that this situation has "has been repeated in previous years", the FNAM reiterated the need to "invest directly in adequate working conditions" for physicians in the public health sector, warning of the risk of continued loss of professionals with high levels of qualification.
The FNAM has stressed the urgency for the Ministry of Health to resume negotiations with the different medical unions.
Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/
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