The new SNS Global Reference Framework (QGR) for the three-year period 2026-2028, published today in the Official Gazette, forecasts that family doctor coverage will remain stagnant at 85.37% of the population until 2028. The order is signed by the Minister of Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, and the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, with retroactive effects from January 1st of this year.
In terms of hospital production, the document forecasts an increase in medical consultations at the SNS, rising from approximately 47.7 million this year to more than 48.7 million in 2028. The number of surgeries is expected to rise from approximately 799,000 in 2026 to nearly 832,000 in 2028, while emergency attendances should decrease from 4.5 million to 4.2 million over the same period.
Regarding human resources, the QGR points to an increase in the SNS workforce, rising from 157,000 workers to more than 160,000 in 2028. Regarding finances, total SNS expenditure is expected to reach 19,714 million euros in 2028, 1,216 million more than the 18,498 million this year, while the public health service's debt is expected to fall from 891 million euros in 2026 to 785 million in 2028.
The approval of the order comes after the Nursing Order warned of the existence of approximately three thousand new nurses available to enter the labour market, while several SNS units reported shortages of professionals. The President of the Nursing Order, Luís Filipe Barreira, called for urgent intervention from the Minister of Health. The QGR serves as the basis for the organizational development plans of local health units, defining the expected activity and the resources necessary to ensure it.
