As part of the reform of the primary health care National Health Service (SNS), the Algarve now has three new Family Health Units (USF), in Portimão, Lagoa and Castro Marim.
The Government implemented a reorganization of the SNS that led to the creation of 39 Local Health Units (ULS) across the country, including the Algarve ULS, the only one in the region, which at the beginning of the year started to manage the Algarve University Hospital Center (CHUA) and the three Health Center Groups (ACES) in the region.
The supervision of these ACES - Barlavento, Central and Sotavento - was the responsibility of the Regional Health Administration (ARS) of the Algarve, an entity that is now extinct.
The creation of the three new USF type B constitutes the main novelty of this process in the Algarve, along with the appointment of João Ferreira to preside over the board of directors of the region's ULS, announced on January 4th by the executive management of the SNS, which , in October, had already appointed him to the presidency of the CHUA board of directors.
Lusa tried to obtain clarification from the president of ULS in the Algarve about this reform, but a communication source from the unit indicated that João Ferreira will only make his first public statements as head of the administration in February.
Model B units are made up of teams of doctors, nurses and clinical secretaries, who contract with the respective Health Center Groups for the response to be provided to a given population, who thus have access to a family doctor and nurse.
These units have a pay-for-performance model with incentives based on productivity.
In the information provided on the reorganization of primary health care in Portugal, the Government highlighted that the first phase of the process of generalizing type B USFs allows family doctors to be provided to over 300,000 users.
“212 USF model A and 10 Personalized Health Care Units (UCSP) become USF model B”, quantified the Government, highlighting that on January 1st 222 new USF type B came into operation, with Portimão, Lagoa and Castro Marim are among the 51 municipalities that will have a USF of this type for the first time.
The same source stated that “there will be 570 USF-B in operation, in 154 of the 278 municipalities on the continent”, involving “more than 3,500 health professionals, who will now have remuneration incentives for performance, with salary increases of at least 60%” .
On January 4, the executive management of the SNS appointed the members of the boards of directors of 13 ULS and the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) of Coimbra.
On the occasion, the executive management clarified that “decree-law no. 102/2023, of November 7, proceeded with the restructuring of public business entities of the SNS, through the integration of existing hospitals and hospital centers with ACES, adopting for This is the model of organization and operation in ULS, under the terms set out in the SNS Statute”.
Among the members appointed were those of the board of directors of the Algarve Local Health Unit, with the executive management of the SNS then indicating that “the current members, who were appointed in 2023, remain in office”, in a reference to João Ferreira and his team, who had taken up roles in the administration of CHUA in October.
The executive management of the SNS also appointed Noélia Pinto as clinical director for the area of primary health care and Carla José da Silva Pais as executive member of the administration of ULS in the Algarve with financial responsibility.
Source Lusa - Photo courtesy of Depositphotos.com
