The Nurses' Union expressed criticism regarding the new Global Reference Framework of the National Health Service. The main complaint relates to the restriction imposed on the growth of staff numbers, which provides for a maximum increase of only 1.4%.
According to data presented by the union, this budget constraint makes it unfeasible for approximately 3,000 new nurses to join the NHS. This limitation comes in a context where nursing professionals have been warning about the need to strengthen human resources in the health sector.
The union's position follows the publication of the new reference framework, which establishes the rules for hiring personnel in NHS institutions. Nurses consider that this measure does not meet the actual needs of Portuguese health services.
The conflict between nurses' demands and the budget restrictions imposed by the new framework continues to generate tension between the union and health authorities, representing one of the persistent challenges in the human resources management of the National Health Service.
