The SNS leadership had a plan for the summer and winter, which it did not implement because the government wanted to do it differently.

The outgoing director of the NHS Executive said this Wednesday that when the government came to power it had a plan for the summer and winter, which it did not implement as new strategic options emerged.

“When the new government came, we had a plan for the coming months with a set of measures (…) that we did not implement on the ground for several reasons: some of them were widely criticized, and there was a desire to change the process to a different one,” said Fernando Araujo, who was heard this Wednesday by the parliamentary health committee.

The person in charge explained that the developed plan included measures to prepare for the next summer and winter in a “clear and well-organized manner.”

Solutions included centralized emergencies, rotation of emergencies across certain specialties, and said emergencies that were “at a very significant stage of development.”

“It didn’t make any sense for us to apply a formula that we thought was appropriate for social media when there was a desire to do something different,” he explained.

“We explained exactly this to the minister: it would be more appropriate and better informed for the plan to be prepared by the team that prepared the Emergency Plan, in line with the strategy and vision that the new team had, which we did not have. I know,” he added.

He said he was not at any meeting of the emergency planning group and that the minister did not brief him on the strategy the new team had for SNS and stated: “I believe there is a vision that is different from ours and law”.

Fernando Araujo recalled that from June 1 his team will not even be able to follow the plan.

He explained that these plans are “extremely complex and are monitored on a daily basis,” saying that every day SNS executive management communicates with local health facilities and INEM “to learn about day-to-day issues across the country.”

“I have to say that at the end of last year, when it came to emergencies, I actually talked to IN more often on the weekends than to my son,” he said.

Responding to a question from several MPs about the reform of local health units (LHCs), he said it was implemented in accordance with international best practices and models.

Regarding the closure of the Regional Directorates of Health (ARS), Fernando Araujo said that they will be maintained at least until the end of March, possibly until April, to ensure that until December 31, 2023 there will be an interlocutor and there will be “no disruption or limitation, problem or invalidity for this purpose.”

In response to the deputies, he considered that “the issue of financial stability of the SNA continues to be a problem.”

“Some of the changes that are being made, whether through financing or value-based payment programs in health care, are decisions that are aimed at making the issue of financing more efficient, more clear and more appropriate to help in some way.” so that this opportunity for sustainability exists,” he said.

According to him, the reform of the legal system is also moving in this direction, since these structures “will remove many of the fats that were in management decisions in a number of institutions, even in the ARS.”

Regarding the changes to the SNS, he responded with an allusion to the construction of the D. Maria Bridge in Porto, which is 150 years old: “When it was built, it was called the greatest act of faith in the world. Many didn’t. I don’t want to do it, they said there were safety issues, but 150 years later there is work.”

“Imagine that the team of engineers and architects changed in the middle of a project. If the bridge eventually collapses, will it be the responsibility of the engineer who built it?,” he asked.

Regarding the future of DE-SNS, he said he wants to have “a strong and sustainable public administration with motivated, qualified professionals who stand above partisan interests, who faithfully implement government decisions, who are chosen from among the best in every profession.” and who serve with a sense of public interest.”

He also wished “tremendous success” to the future executive management team, which will be led by Dr António Gandra d’Almeida, it was revealed on Wednesday.