Health Minister says responsibility for the Summer Plan lies with hospital administrators

This Friday, the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, handed over the responsibility for preparing the Summer Plan to hospital administrators, demonstrating her readiness to “help”.

“The concerns are quite legitimate, but the legal basis of the Summer Plan regarding restrictions related to emergency situations, as well as at times when there are many holidays with large numbers of tourists and small groups, belongs to the administrators of our hospital, the people appointed and assessed by CRESAP [Comissão de Recrutamento e Seleção para a Administração Pública] with government management skills,” said Ana Paula Martins.

The Minister of Health, speaking in Porto on the sidelines of a ceremony to sign contracts for work under the PDP, answered questions about emergency closures and difficulties with the availability of teams during periods such as possible mini-holidays.

This Friday, without giving any dates and inviting journalists to look at the law or ask questions of hospital administrators, the Minister of Health did not give any news about the Summer Plan and confirmed that it is hospital administrators who are “responsible for hospitals.” and now medical centers with ULS [Unidades Locais de Saúde] place this organization on your websites and portals.”

“They have a responsibility to develop the Summer Plan and find local solutions,” he said, adding that the ministry is ready to “help.”

“Every day we send another “email” to contacts so that they can report more unexpected situations, for example due to illness of doctors or service providers who do not show up (…). We communicate with all of them. Where there are more difficulties, we are on this side to help not only with hiring employees, but also with strengthening the team,” said Ana Paula Martins.

In an interview with Expresso on Thursday, Xavier Barreto, president of the Portuguese Association of Hospital Administrators, warned that service closures will continue and that if the boss expects quick results from the new ULS model, he will not get them.

Regarding the viability and operability of the SNS Grávidas line, Ana Paula Martins insisted on the benefits of being referred by line rather than by looking at data on a website.

“In the first two days of operation of the SNS Gravidas line, we sent 450 pregnant women to where they could be helped. In the past, pregnant women looked for places where they could get help. Spaces and supplies are limited. dynamically,” the ruler said.

Defending that “paper charts are quickly becoming obsolete” but that “through the line it is possible, with the help of algorithms, to guide with greater confidence”, Ana Paula Martins added that it also ensures that the hospital is waiting for that pregnant woman and there is “Greater comfort and greater security.”