Various hospitals have reported a surge in visits by homeless individuals to emergency services, not primarily due to illness but for basic necessities such as food, hygiene, or simply shelter for the night.
The Amadora-Sintra Local Health Unit has observed an increase in these cases, averaging two to three instances per week. This year, up until April 29, there have been 40 cases in total.
In some situations, homeless individuals present with temporary physical dependencies. However, they often remain hospitalized solely for social reasons until they regain physical autonomy, a requirement imposed by shelters.
“This issue is acknowledged by all community services as a concern for health and all the structures we collaborate with, including the municipalities of Amadora and Sintra,” stated the Director of the Social Service of the Amadora-Sintra Local Health Unit.
Adélia Gomes emphasized that entities attempt to “do their best,” acknowledging that there is still much need for improved responses and collaboration to minimize or resolve the issues.
However, she acknowledged the challenge, noting that “it’s unlikely this will happen” due to the diversity and complexity of the situations.
“Some associations also work on these issues, and together we try to do our best, but the truth is there’s a growing need that we have observed,” she highlighted.
The director noted that the housing crisis exacerbates the problem: “Renting a room is increasingly difficult,” given the limited incomes of these individuals.
According to Adélia Gomes, all institutions across different sectors, including social, health, and justice, must “be alert and willing to find help and support mechanisms” for these cases.
She called for “greater investment” in this area and for increased human resources in shelters to assist those who accept help and to encourage those who refuse to transition from their situation.
The São José Hospital also feels the impact of this phenomenon, particularly during the post-discharge phase, which poses “one of the greatest challenges in providing care to this population.”
“The difficulty in implementing a proposed care plan for the patient and the lack of sufficient social responses from the community are the main reasons sometimes leading to hospital discharge delays, with patients waiting for an appropriate social resolution to their situation,” noted the São José Local Health Unit.
São José Hospital collaborates with the Police Service (PSP) stationed at the general emergency service, which assists the Social Service in identifying these cases.
These cases are referred to community resources, but the intervention plan cannot always be completed for various reasons, including the lack of social resources (housing, medication, food, personal hygiene), patient refusal, and even the patients leaving the emergency service before the Social Service evaluation, the health unit reported to Lusa.
“All these interactions are difficult, slow, and challenging to resolve,” stressed the institution, which in the first four months of this year flagged 184 cases.
At Santa Maria Hospital, one of the largest in the country, the situation is similar. This year, up until April 30, there were 79 admissions of homeless individuals to the Central Emergency Service, a 32% increase compared to the same period in 2024, which saw 60 admissions.
The Santa Maria Local Health Unit reports that these patients cite “the lack of community responses” as their main reason for turning to the hospital. However, professionals also observe their lack of adherence to social intervention plans.
The Social Service of the health unit consistently contacts community institutions, such as the Homeless Person Care Unit, the National Social Emergency Line, the Homeless Planning and Intervention Center, and Vida e Paz Community, yet the responses are often insufficient for the volume of referrals made.
