The Executive Direction of the National Health Service (DE-SNS), led by Álvaro Almeida, has instructed hospitals to cut expenses, even if it means slowing down the increasing pace of surgeries, consultations, and other services.
Instructions were reportedly given during a meeting with leaders of the Local Health Units (ULS) shortly after the government submitted the 2026 State Budget proposal to the Assembly of the Republic. Álvaro Almeida, questioned today after the news broke, refused to comment.
What does this ‘order’ entail?
The mandate is to reduce spending on medications, additional production (such as surgeries outside regular hours to ease waiting lists), service providers, and staff hires, raising concerns and criticism amid increasing demand for the SNS.
Political reactions, as well as responses from the Medical and Nursing Orders, emerged promptly.
“Shock.” Carneiro says Health Minister lost “political authority”
PS Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro stated the party received the news with “shock and bewilderment.”
The socialist leader remarked this worsens the situation in “a vital area of people’s lives,” with 1.5 million patients already lacking family doctors and 1 million still awaiting their first consultation.
Carneiro also criticized Health Minister Ana Paula Martins, suggesting she has lost “political authority” and challenging Luís Montenegro to dismiss her.
Carneiro insists the Prime Minister should dismiss the Health Minister, asserting she has lost all “political authority” after the news that the SNS Executive Directorate instructed hospitals to cut expenses.
Health “cannot face disinvestment,” says Ventura
Chega leader André Ventura, at a press conference at party headquarters, insisted that health is an area where “you cannot disinvest,” calling for consensus to prevent such measures.
“I think it transcends political issues and party struggles. I believe the Government needs to show openness. A budget consensus among the three main parties is needed to ensure no disinvestment will occur in health,” he appealed.
Ventura reaffirmed that the Health Minister lacks conditions to continue and called for a parliamentary agreement to ensure no disinvestment in the sector.
“Efficiency isn’t arbitrary cuts,” says Liberal Initiative
The parliamentary group of the Liberal Initiative (IL) stated, “we always stand for greater efficiency in state management, however, efficiency does not mean arbitrary, unjustified cuts, especially when these may compromise health care delivery.”
Therefore, the party’s MPs request the Health Minister to address whether Ana Paula Martins “was aware” and if “the Government ensures any potential expense cuts will not compromise health care delivery or worsen waiting lists for consultations or surgeries.”
Catarina Martins: “This, to me, is chaos”
Presidential candidate and former BE coordinator, Catarina Martins, criticized the intention to cut hospital spending, even if it jeopardizes health care, labeling the measure as “chaos.”
“We know, for instance, that the SNS executive director met with hospital administrators to cut costs, even if it jeopardizes health care. To me, this is chaos. This Government’s budget is chaos, and they want to distract from their actions affecting people’s lives,” she said during a visit to Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada.
Martins criticized the plan to cut hospital expenses, describing it as “chaos.”
“No money should be lacking for Portuguese health”
Presidential candidate António José Seguro stated his first year, if elected, will focus on saving the National Health Service, highlighting it as the “priority of priorities.”
“There might be a lack of funds elsewhere, but not for Portuguese health, and thus, my first presidential year, if trusted by the Portuguese, will focus on saving the National Health Service,” he assured, speaking to journalists in Funchal.
Seguro emphasized that saving the SNS will be his top priority during his first presidential year.
“Regrettable” and focus “should be on improving efficiency”: Medical and Nursing Orders
Following the news, the Medical Order deemed the SNS director’s instruction to hospitals to cut 2026 expenses as “profoundly regrettable and miserable”, warning that the measure might harm patients and worsen the waiting list.
The head of the Medical Order, Carlos Cortes, told Lusa, “The person supposed to defend the National Health Service is ready to jeopardize SNS response due to blind budget cuts required in 2026.”
The head of the Nursing Order, Luís Filipe Barreira, stated, in a communiqué, that any potential reduction in SNS spending “should not decrease” service access and “focus should be on increasing efficiency and reducing waste.”
He also emphasized “stricter management and control of public spending,” despite reduced health budgets.
