The Portuguese Nurses' Union states that "nothing has been done" in recent months to hire nurses, denouncing government inaction in resolving this issue. This position comes at a time when the health sector is facing serious human resources difficulties.
On Monday, the Order of Nurses requested the urgent intervention of the Health Minister, Ana Paula Martins, in the process of authorizing local health units to hire professionals. The Order warned that the country is wasting more than 3,000 new professionals in this area, meaning newly trained nurses or those available to join the National Health Service who are not being hired.
The situation reflects a structural problem in the Portuguese health system, where the capacity to hire new nurses is constrained by bureaucratic authorization processes that have not progressed swiftly. This situation worsens the shortage of professionals in health units, affecting the quality of care provided to the population.
