Regarding the reduction in surgeries during this Christmas season, the executive director of the SNS distinguished “the reduction in activity that results from having five days of time tolerance, holidays and weekends” from the fact that “there are units, namely those that are already at level three of the contingency plans, where their contingency plans at that level presuppose the suspension of surgical activity, first of the additional surgical activity and then even the basic surgical activity”.
In the first case, Álvaro Almeida said that the first activity that is reduced “is the non-priority scheduled activity”, with “a series of non-priority surgeries that will not be carried out”, especially because “most units had no longer scheduled surgeries for the 26th, because it is a time when people don’t like having surgeries”, he pointed out.
As for the hospitals that are at contingency level three – Álvaro Almeida mentioned 10, including ULS Tâmega e Sousa, Entre Douro e Vouga, Braga or Amadora-Sintra, no longer needed – the plans for such a situation “assume the suspension of surgical activity, first of the additional surgical activity and then even the basic surgical activity”.
“Why does this happen? Because the main problem with access to the emergency room is the difficulty of admitting all the people who need it. And, therefore, to free up beds, to admit the people who enter through the emergency room, surgical activity is suspended, because this way we have more beds available to respond to the demand coming from the emergency room”, explained the person in charge.
Already asked about waiting times in hospitals such as Fernando da Fonseca (known as Amadora – Sintra, in the Lisbon district), Álvaro Almeida said that “unfortunately this is a reality that is not just for today, day of tolerance, it is a habitual reality”as it is a ULS “which has a large percentage of the population, around a third, without a family doctor, which means that it does not have an answer in primary care”.
“In addition, in recent weeks, there has been a flu epidemic that has increased demand throughout the country and, therefore, in these units where the response capacity is already lower, this problem is more noticeable”said Álvaro Almeida.
Public hospitals must ensure that they have enough professionals to be able to discharge users on the three days in which the Government granted sick leave, according to an order to which Lusa had access.
The order states that it is up to health service managers to identify workers essential to the functioning of services, particularly inpatient services, to ensure that it is possible to discharge patients this Wednesday, December 26th and 31st.