The absence of family doctors from the Loris Unit leads to long waiting lists – Observer

The Loris Health Center has been operating since Monday without a family doctor, forcing users to wait long hours during the night, with service not being guaranteed, a situation that is expected to continue until September 21.

On the door of the Loris Health Center, in the Lisbon area, a notice indicates that between September 11 and 21 there are no vacancies for that day for users without a family doctor, a situation resulting from a doctor assigned to this service who is on vacation, according to the Lusa agency in the site.

The lack of family doctors at Loris Health Center has led to long lines at the door of that unit Many users start arriving during the early hours of the morningas one user reported to Lusa.

“I arrived on Friday at six in the morning and there were already 60 people in front of me. There were only 14 passwords and that’s why I didn’t get a place. There were people who arrived early the evening of the previous day,” said Sofia Patricio, user, who intended Getting an extension to his sick leave, he tried his luck again on Monday, Having arrived this time at 3:15am.

“It is unacceptable that people have to go to the health center at night and early in the morning, without being sure that they will have space for additional care. The number of passwords varies and you can never know how many you will have,” he noted. According to this user, The situation has worsened Because Loris Health Center Receiving users without a family doctor from other units Municipal.

Losa contacted the Vice President of the Municipal Council of Llores, Sonia Paixao (PS), in charge of the Ministry of Health, and expressed her regret for the situation in that center, admitting that Similar cases have occurred in other units in the municipality. “We’ve been watching. We know it.” Several recruitment procedures are being opened For service providers. Some defects were addressed and others were not. I know that today a doctor joined the health unit in Santo Antão do Togal. Therefore, we are concerned at the global level about this matter, he noted.

The Mayor stated that the Chamber of Commerce requested meetings with Health Minister Manuel Pizarro and defended the matter. Need to establish a local health unit in Loris (OLS). “We have expectations regarding the ULS Constitution and that it can be a way to reconsider and improve this whole situation. This is our hope.” Losa also contacted the management of the Loris Odivelas Health Center Group (ACES), but has not yet received a response.

ULS, general commercial entities, is an organizational model that promotes integrated management of primary health care and hospitals by bringing together hospitals, hospital centres, health centers and health center groups into a single geographical area.

The idea is that ULS focuses on disease prevention and health promotionAnd providing better health care. In addition to increasing access and proximity, ULS must reduce bureaucracy. This new model should streamline operations and improve coordination between teams of health professionals with an emphasis on expertise and pathways between different levels of care, increase management autonomy, and improve the participation of citizens, communities, professionals and local authorities in defining, monitoring and evaluating health. policies, maximizing the reach and efficiency of social networking services.

It should also be allowed to Increase efficiency in public resource managementIn conjunction with ensuring and respecting the role of municipal participation in planning, organizing and managing the performance of the health response for the population of a specific geographical area, and enhancing proximity and network management.

The CEO of the National Health Service (SNS), Fernando Araujo, announced at the end of August a “major reform” starting in January 2024 with the creation of 31 additional Health Service Centres, which bring together hospitals and health centers in the same institution and administration. One of the planned ULS projects is the Hospital Loures-Odivelas (Hospital Loures with ACeS Loures-Odivelas).

There are currently eight ULS: Matosinhos (1999), Norte Alentejano (2007), Guarda (2008), Baixo Alentejano (2008), Alto Minho (2008), Castelo Branco (2010), Nordeste (2011), Litoral Alentejano (2012). .