The new NHS Reference Framework for the three-year period 2026-2028 is making the hiring of new nurses unviable. This situation is causing concern in the health sector in Portugal, as it prevents institutions from strengthening their nursing staff.
The National Health Service is the main public health system in Portugal, responsible for providing healthcare to the population. The limitation on hiring nurses comes at a time when the health system faces significant challenges in terms of human resources.
The new reference framework establishes limits and conditions for hiring health professionals in the public sector. Nurses are a fundamental professional class for the functioning of hospitals and health centers, being essential for providing care to patients.
This situation directly affects the responsiveness capacity of the NHS, which already faces pressure on services due to the growing demand for healthcare. Hospital institutions and professionals warn about the negative impact that this limitation may have on the quality of care provided to users of the Portuguese public health system.
