Users of the National Health Service wait on average six months for their first appointment with a psychologist. This waiting time represents one of the main difficulties in accessing mental health care in Portugal.
The SNS currently has about 1,200 psychologists, of whom approximately 500 work in primary health care. This distribution reveals a strong concentration of psychology professionals in primary care.
The shortage of psychologists compared to the needs of the population has been pointed out as a structural problem of the Portuguese health system, with sector organizations warning of the need for more investment and hiring of professionals.




