The document released tonight on the official website was drafted by the Directorate-General of Health in collaboration with the Executive Directorate of the National Health Service (SNS). Local Health Units (ULS) now have 30 days to submit their Seasonal Health Response Plan for the summer module of 2025 to both entities.
The ULS are expected to deliver their seasonal health response plans for summer, structured across three levels of contingency: level 1, level 2, and level 3.
“This Plan emphasizes the need for all services and establishments of the SNS, as well as the private and social sectors, to implement specific contingency plans aimed at preventing, preparing for, and responding to risks and events associated with the summer season,” stated the Directorate-General of Health (DGS).
The Seasonal Health Response Plan for the summer module will be active in mainland Portugal between May 1 and September 30, with activation at other times dependent on risk assessments.
This nationally scoped plan serves as a guiding tool that promotes the alignment of specific contingency plans developed by the ULS and non-integrated SNS institutions, such as the IPO.
Its operationalization includes the definition of objectives, methodologies, measures, and activities, as well as the most suitable information/communication circuits for the three levels of contingency.
“It is the responsibility of the DGS, along with other partners, to prevent, assess, and communicate risks at the national level, and to support local risk management by issuing guidelines and recommendations for the protection of health and well-being of the population, encouraging preventive and response measures during crisis situations,” the document outlines.
It emphasizes that “the timely availability of information on weather forecasts, exceptional occurrences, epidemiological trends of diseases, and other health phenomena, along with the healthcare services’ responses, allows ULS and each health service to plan their response adequately and implement measures proportional to the risk.”
According to health authorities, this flexibility enables the adaptation of service offerings to match the anticipated demand levels.
The main objectives of the plan are to reduce heat-related mortality and morbidity, focusing on vulnerable and at-risk groups, and to ensure that during increased demand for healthcare services, the population has timely and quality access to health care across different levels of the SNS, in coordination with the social and private sectors.
Additionally, it aims to enhance the effectiveness of care provided to the population by facilitating coordination between various health units and services.
Raising health literacy levels among the population through disease prevention behaviors, health protection, and promotion, especially for vulnerable and at-risk groups, as well as ensuring the appropriate use of health resources to reduce pressure on the health system, are other goals of the plan.
In terms of operational objectives, the plan proposes, among other measures, promoting the identification of temporary shelter locations at the local level in institutional coordination (municipalities, social structures, Civil Protection, and security forces), and enhancing the coordination of responses among the SNS 24 hotline, primary healthcare services, and hospital emergency services, according to demand monitoring.
It also highlights the need to bolster emergency and urgent services to meet potential increases in demand and to strengthen coordination between the health and social security sectors, promoting the adoption of practices and innovations that result in health benefits and ensuring responses to social cases.
Promotion of the SNS 24 hotline (808 24 24 24) as the first point of contact with the healthcare system is also encouraged.
