The chief executive of the National Health Service (NHS) is warning that unless doctors reach an agreement with the government, November could be the worst month for the NHS in 44 years.
In an interview with the newspaper Público, Fernando Araújo said that the reorganization of emergency departments will be ready by the end of the year and that for a short time only those referred by SNS24, a doctor or another hospital will be available. opportunity to go to the emergency department.
A few days before a new meeting of medical unions and the Ministry of Health, the executive director of the SNS fears that November will be a “dramatic” month, and leaves a message to doctors: “We must demand rights, but in a sense it will be ethically impeccable.”
Regarding the proposed increase in the annual overtime limit from the current 150 to 250, which was rejected by the medical unions, Fernando Araújo says that the doctors are right and emphasizes that it is necessary to find “models that reduce the need for overtime, which could be achieved by raising wages doctors for normal planned activities.”
The executive director acknowledges that the reorganization of the emergency will require changes to the network and map. [de serviços de urgência]emphasizing: “We have to be very objective about the response capabilities we have. We can’t have emergency departments that are open one day a week and closed the next day.”
As for emergency services, he adds that they are already being reorganized, but the issue of 150 overtime hours for doctors, who in recent weeks have refused to exceed the annual overtime limit, “ultimately changed the focus of the process.”
He gives the example of pilot projects that he says are working well, such as the one in Povoa de Varzim-Vila do Conde, stating that in this case he was able to avoid many trips to the emergency room, explaining: ” SNS24 could be on the agenda [dos médicos de família] make appointments for the next day or the same day.”
“Currently, some users still use urgency inappropriately, and due to lack of information or trust, end up deciding to go to the hospital without calling SNS24. But in this second phase, which will now move forward, we are working on the legal issue, and we have a version that I think meets all the requirements – the urgency will indeed be mentioned,” he added.
He adds that this option is legally possible as long as an alternative response capacity exists: “You cannot tell a patient that they cannot be treated, but rather that the emergency department is not the best place to treat them.” and that you have an appointment the next day at the clinic, your GP or even the hospital.”
He emphasizes that this will be a “significant cultural change that must be accompanied by information and training.”
“On the one hand, SNS24 will need to be reviewed and we need to build primary health care capacity among underserved populations to provide consultations every day, as well as on weekends and holidays, as is happening in Povoa. de Varzim,” he explains.
In terms of pediatric emergency care, he acknowledges that the way forward will be to concentrate the response, as is already happening in the north of the country.
“We really need to replicate the models that everyone is using, and therefore we need to focus these urgent responses with some consistency,” he says.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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