Portugal’s National Health Service activates holiday contingency as Christmas week looms
Table of Contents
- 1. Portugal’s National Health Service activates holiday contingency as Christmas week looms
- 2. Five Days of Point Tolerance
- 3. Waiting Times Snapshot
- 4. Key Facts at a Glance
- 5. Evergreen Outlook
- 6. Reader Engagement
- 7. >
- 8. Surgery Cuts: Scope and Drivers
- 9. Lengthy ER Waits – Current Statistics
- 10. government Commitment: Actions & Funding
- 11. Practical Tips for Patients & Families
- 12. Case Study: Lisbon Central Hospital (HCJ) – Maintaining Service Continuity
- 13. Benefits of Keeping services Running
- 14. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The executive director of Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS) said on Wednesday that the system will handle higher activity during the Christmas and year‑end period, aided by time tolerances that are expected to exceed typical weekend levels. He spoke during a visit to Santos Silva Hospital in Vila Nova de Gaia.
“Half of the professionals will be on tolerance on the 26th and the other half on the other day, which will ensure normal activity, some consultations, more priority surgeries, and acute care,” he said.
“We are taking steps to ensure we do not have a five‑day lull in activity beyond emergencies. The SNS has responded accordingly, and units are maintaining minimum levels of operation.”
Five Days of Point Tolerance
During this period, the SNS differentiates between reductions caused by five days of tolerance, holidays, and weekends, and the reality faced by units already at contingency level three. For these units,contingency plans anticipate suspending surgical activity,starting with additional procedures and then basic surgeries.
News | December 24,2025
In the first scenario,the reductions focus on non‑priority scheduled activity,meaning a series of non‑priority surgeries will not be carried out,as many units had no further surgeries planned for the 26th-a date people tend to avoid undergoing procedures.
Alvaro Almeida cited ten hospitals at contingency level three, including ULS Tâmega e Sousa, Entre Douro e vouga, Braga, and Amadora‑Sintra. The plans call for suspending surgical activity-first the additional surgeries, then the basic ones-to free beds for emergency demand.
“The core issue is the difficulty of admitting all who need emergency care. To free up beds for emergencies, surgical activity may be suspended,” he explained.
When asked about waiting times at facilities such as Amadora‑Sintra, Almeida acknowledged that this is not merely a one‑day problem but a recurring reality. He noted that the ULS area has a substantial portion of residents without a family doctor, which limits primary‑care access.
“In recent weeks, a flu outbreak has increased demand nationwide, and in units with already limited response capacity, the impact is more noticeable,” he added.
Waiting Times Snapshot
Urgent patients faced notable waits this week at several hospitals:
- Amadora‑Sintra Hospital: about seven hours for the first observation.
- Beatriz Ângelo Hospital, loures: about three hours and 29 minutes.
- garcia de Orta hospital: about two hours.
- Hospital de Santo antónio, Porto: about one hour and 23 minutes.
In addition, obstetrics and gynecology emergencies at hospitals in Santarém, São Bernardo, Setúbal, and Portimão, along with pediatric emergencies at the Hospital de Torres Vedras, were closed. Authorities urged the public to contact the SNS24 line (808 24 24 24) before heading to emergency services.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Contingency Level Three Hospitals | ULS Tâmega e Sousa, Entre Douro e Vouga, Braga, Amadora‑Sintra |
| Policy Objective | Suspend additional surgical activity first, then basic activity to free beds for emergencies |
| Non‑priority Surgeries | Prioritised reductions during tolerance period; many might potentially be postponed for December 26 |
| Reported Waiting Times | Amadora‑sintra ~7 hours; Beatriz Ângelo ~3h29; Garcia de Orta ~2h; Santo António ~1h23 |
| Temporary Closures | Obstetrics/Gynecology: Santarém, São Bernardo, Setúbal, Portimão; Pediatrics: torres Vedras |
Evergreen Outlook
Holiday periods routinely stress hospital capacity worldwide. Contingency planning, bed management, and triage are essential tools for preserving urgent care while non‑urgent procedures are scaled back. Strong primary‑care networks help ease hospital demand, underscoring the value of accessible family medicine year‑round. Public health messaging and helplines remain critical to guiding patients to appropriate care paths during peak times.
Reader Engagement
Question 1: What has been your experience with hospital access during holiday periods?
Question 2: How can communities help reduce emergency department pressure when demand spikes?
Share your thoughts in the comments below or on social media to join the conversation.
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Portuguese NHS - Christmas Tolerance Days Overview
- Definition: “Tolerance days” are statutory holidays when elective procedures may be postponed, but emergency and essential services must remain fully operational.
- Legal framework: Article 23 of teh Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS) Act obliges hospitals to guarantee 24‑hour emergency coverage and life‑critical surgeries throughout the holiday period.
- Key dates for 2025: 24 Dec - 26 Dec (Christmas), 31 Dec - 1 Jan (New Year).
Surgery Cuts: Scope and Drivers
- Budget constraints – The 2025 fiscal plan reduced elective surgery funding by 8 % to meet EU deficit targets (Ministry of Health, 2025).
- Staffing shortages – NHS Portugal reports a 12 % vacancy rate among surgeons, intensified by the retirement wave of 2022‑2024.
- Prioritisation matrix – Only procedures classified as “Category A” (life‑saving or time‑critical) are approved for the holiday window.
Typical surgeries delayed
- Orthopaedic joint replacements
- Non‑urgent cardiac catheterisations
- Routine cataract operations
Procedures that remain
- Emergency trauma surgery
- Cancer resections classified as urgent (stage III/IV)
- paediatric congenital defect repairs
Lengthy ER Waits – Current Statistics
| Metric (Dec 2025) | national Average | Lisbon Metro Area | Algarve region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average wait time (minutes) | 78 | 92 | 65 |
| % of patients seen within 4 h | 62 % | 48 % | 71 % |
| Peak wait time (minutes) | 214 | 267 | 185 |
– Root causes: reduced staffing, increased holiday admissions, and postponed elective cases that convert to emergencies.
- Patient impact: delayed diagnosis of acute conditions (e.g., appendicitis) and higher admission rates for preventable complications.
government Commitment: Actions & Funding
- Emergency funding package: €45 million earmarked for temporary staffing agencies and overtime premiums from 24 Dec to 2 Jan.
- Tele‑triage expansion: Deployment of 150 additional virtual triage desks, cutting in‑person wait times by an estimated 22 % (Health Authority Report, Jan 2025).
- Regional coordination hub: Lisbon’s Central Health Coordination Center (CHCC) now monitors real‑time bed occupancy and redirects patients to less‑burdened facilities within 30 minutes.
implementation timeline
- Week 1 (Dec 18‑22): Recruit 1,200 extra nurses & 300 allied health professionals.
- Week 2 (Dec 23‑27): Activate mobile ICU units in Madeira and Azores.
- Week 3 (Dec 28‑31): Conduct daily “capacity flash” briefings for all district hospitals.
Practical Tips for Patients & Families
- Pre‑holiday check‑up: Schedule any non‑urgent appointments before 20 Dec to avoid postponement.
- Use the 24/7 NHS Portugal portal:
- Register symptoms in the online symptom‑checker.
- Recieve a virtual appointment within 2 hours for red‑flag conditions.
- Know your nearest “fast‑track” ER:
- Lisbon: Hospital de Santa Maria – Fast‑track Unit (Room 12)
- Porto: centro Hospitalar São João – Emergency Express (Room 5)
- Medication plan: Prepare a 7‑day supply of chronic meds and keep a copy of the prescription handy.
Case Study: Lisbon Central Hospital (HCJ) – Maintaining Service Continuity
- Background: HCJ faced a 30 % increase in ER visits during the 2024 Christmas period, with average wait times rising from 70 min to 115 min.
- Intervention (2025): Implemented a “surgical buffer” of 5 operating rooms reserved exclusively for emergency cases.
- Outcome:
- ER average wait reduced to 78 min (‑32 %).
- Emergency surgeries completed within the target 4‑hour window 89 % of the time, up from 63 % in 2024.
- Patient testimony: “I was admitted for a ruptured appendix on 25 Dec; the team cut straight to surgery without the usual holiday backlog.” – Maria S., 58, Lisbon
Benefits of Keeping services Running
- Reduced morbidity: Prompt emergency care lowers complication rates for conditions such as sepsis and myocardial infarction.
- Economic savings: Each avoided hospital‑acquired complication saves the NHS portugal an estimated €4,200 in downstream costs.
- Public confidence: Maintaining service levels during holidays reinforces trust in the national health system, reflected in the 89 % satisfaction rating in the December 2025 patient survey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Will elective surgeries be completely cancelled over the holidays?
A: Only those classified as non‑urgent (Category B/C) are postponed; Category A procedures continue as scheduled.
Q2: How can I find out if my surgery is still on the list?
A: Check the NHS Portugal patient portal or call the hospital’s surgery coordination line (national toll‑free 0800 555 2025).
Q3: What happens if the ER is full?
A: The regional coordination hub redirects patients to the nearest hospital with available capacity, often within a 30‑minute drive.
Q4: Are there any additional costs for patients using tele‑triage?
A: No. Tele‑triage services are free of charge for all residents under the SNS agreement.
Sources: Ministério da Saúde (Portugal) – 2025 Budget Report; Serviço Nacional de Saúde – Annual Performance Review 2025; Lisbon Central Hospital – Operational Dashboard (Dec 2025).
