The president of the Portuguese Firefighters League (LBP) asked the government on Tuesday to discuss with the sector the impact of the closure of emergency services on corporations forced to transport patients over long distances.
In a conversation with Lusa, António Nunes recalled that the protocols signed with the Ministry of Health “always included the prospect of a local hospital”, but with the closure of emergency departments, this created “new problems that require new solutions”.
“If only this was a problem for pregnant women,” said António Nunes, referring to the closure of emergency departments in obstetrics and gynecology.
Currently, “specialties are being closed in hospitals,” and further transportation of patients “disturbs the balance of fire brigades,” which are located away from the barracks for several hours.
“This problem disrupts the normal functioning of the fire paradigm in its own sphere of activity,” said the League leader, who is asking for a meeting with the government to discuss the problem.
“I understand that the funds [dos hospitais] limited,” but the Health Ministry “pushes down on those below,” putting pressure on firefighting resources that are needed elsewhere, especially during periods of fire danger.
At the same time, he warned that there are problems with indicating the places of transportation.
“We go to one place and then we go to another and ‘I’m mobilizing more people, which creates a problem here with expenses’ that are not reimbursed by the trusteeship,” says the director, who asks for a meeting to discuss the problem, which is being “unsustainable.”
“If firefighters have more time to intervene, the cost of each transport will increase” and “we will have to change the model,” he stressed, proposing a meeting “at the table of all parties.”
“The Ministry of Health knows, the executive leadership of the SNS [Serviço Nacional de Saúde] “You know, the president of INEM (National Institute of Emergency Medicine) knows. Everyone knows, because now it is not a problem,” said António Nunes.
“We are ready to find a solution,” he added.
In the past, “I have already offered to provide four or five INEM ambulances to the Lisbon area, and we have hired firefighters to staff them,” he explained.
A lack of resources led to the NHS closing emergency services in the summer, causing controversy, particularly in the areas of gynaecology and obstetrics.
Six emergency gynaecology and obstetrics services and one paediatrics service are closed today, according to the National Health Service (SNS).
According to information published on the SNS portal, at 10 a.m. the emergency gynecology and obstetrics departments of the São Bernardo Hospital, Setúbal, the Nossa Senhora do Rosário Hospital in Barreiro, the Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada, Lisbon, the Santo André Hospital in Leiria, the Santa Maria Hospital (obstetrics) and the Portimão Hospital (obstetrics) will close.
The SNS Executive Directorate calls on the population to “always call the SOS Gravida line”. [808 24 24 24] before contacting the emergency gynecology service.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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