The District Hospital of Santarem (HDS) is operating “with restrictions” this Sunday in general emergency services, surgery and medicine, a hospital source told Lusa, who warned of “long waiting times.”
A source from the Santarem regional hospital explained that a poster had been posted in the hospital department announcing the restrictions expected this Sunday, which are related to “the lack of medical resources in the specialties of general surgery and internal medicine.”
For this reason, “the wait for observation in these specialties can take a long time,” can be read on the poster to which Lusa had access.
The hospital department asks users to contact the SNS 24 line (808 24 24 24) in advance, emphasizing that advice and referrals can be obtained there in case of illness.
HDS regrets in the message the “inconvenience caused” to users by this situation.
On Saturday, HDS announced it would suspend additional surgeries from Monday for several specialty doctors who refuse to work more than the 150 hours of overtime required by law.
In a statement, the board of directors of the Hospital de Santarem justified the measure by a request “made by several specialist doctors and interns in the specialty” who declared their “unwillingness to provide any additional work beyond the maximum limit of 150 hours.”
In view of this refusal, “additional surgical activities to be carried out by the elements expressing this unavailability are suspended as of October 2 and as long as they continue.”
The hospital said in a statement that there would be an exception for surgeries already scheduled at that time, and “surgery times may be allocated to other specialties depending on the waiting list.”
The District Hospital of Santarem, EPE (HDS), provides health care to a resident population of approximately 184.6 thousand inhabitants in the municipalities of Almeirim, Alpiarza, Cartacho, Chamusca, Coruche, Golegán, Salvaterra de Magos, Santarem and Rio Mayor in an area of 3,500 square meters kilometers (km).
In addition to its area of influence, it also provides assistance to the population of other municipalities of the district (Abrantes, Alcanena, Constancia, Entroncamento, Ferreira do Zezere, Massan, Ouren, Sardol, Sertan, Tomar, Torres Novas, Vila de Rey, Vila Nova da Barquinha, Gavian) with a total population of about 233 thousand people in such specialties as vascular surgery, dermatology, infectious diseases, psychiatry and oncological radiation therapy.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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