The targets of the Recovery and Resilience Plan were met in Portugal within the August 31 deadline, but the execution of payments to beneficiaries varies significantly across the 21 components of the PRR. Housing and infrastructure stand out with payment rates above 80%, while the National Health Service registers only 38.6% and REPowerEU 40%, at the tail of this ranking. Data from the Recover Portugal mission structure reveals that Health achieved only 39% of payments, with only 9% in transit to intermediate beneficiaries.
A more detailed analysis shows that the problems in health are concentrated especially in continuing care and mental health. The expansion of the integrated continuing care network is only at 14%, roughly the same as the conclusion of the hospital governance model reform. Health digitization has 23.5%, mental health reform 30.8%, and the strengthening of responses in the area of dementia associated with aging 31.9%.
Pedro Dominguinhos, president of the PRR Monitoring Committee, explains that the continuing care tender was launched later than others in the NHS, followed by delays in the publication of calls for proposals, evaluation of applications, and court litigation, especially in the North. To this were added significant increases in construction costs, with the value per bed rising to 42 thousand euros, and some tenders were deserted. Storm Kristin also worsened the situation in several projects.
The problem was partially resolved through PRR reprogramming, with the target change reducing initial ambition. The Central Administration of the Health System received support from Recover Portugal for the analysis of payment requests, but Pedro Dominguinhos warns that some mayors remain concerned about payment guarantees, especially regarding health centers.
