O As of this Monday, it has over 200 pre-hospital emergency technicians, a number that should double at the end of the year with the opening of a new competition, the institute’s president revealed to Lusa.
“It’s a historic day for INEM because not only were we able to hire 200 technicians for the first time in the same competitive procedure, but we also have a recruitment pool of 106 to hire in a procedure to be opened later this year” with another 200 vacancies, said Sérgio January.
The president of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) explained that the 106 professionals who remained in the recruitment pool have “the entire procedure already done” and will have priority in the next competition.
Increase can reduce overtime
At the end of this year, Sérgio Janeiro estimates that he will have over 200 pre-hospital emergency technicians (TEPH).
“Throughout this year, potentially, 400 new TEPH could enter, which is more than a 40% increase in relation to the existing workforce, which is very significant”, he said, highlighting that INEM could thus have the resources working “close to 100%” and without resorting to so much overtime work. For Sérgio Janeiro, these results demonstrate that “all the work that has been done to improve working conditions, remuneration conditions, career review prospects, the improvement of jobs and infrastructure at INEM, has had impact on INEM’s image”.
It has also motivated people to apply to INEM and choose the body to follow “their professional trajectory”, which they considered to be “very rewarding”.
New technicians have already signed a contract
Today, the new technicians signed the contract, took “uniform measurements” and, among other requirements, completed biometric registration and on Tuesday they will begin the training process.
With the entry of these professionals, INEM increases its TEPH staff from 900 to around 1,100 who will have a “very broad role throughout the entire chain of emergency care provided to the population”.
“This is an increase of more than 20% in the workforce of this professional class, which, naturally, will give us more room for maneuver to provide a better response”, commented Sérgio Janeiro.
Where are the 200 professionals going?
Despite this increase, the president of INEM acknowledged that it remains a deficit number. These 200 professionals will be distributed across INEM delegations in the North, Center, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Alentejo and Algarve regions.
“It is with great satisfaction that we are starting to see the results of all the work that began to be done since the summer”, he said, pointing out this competition that was opened in August, the helitransport competition, which is in the finalization phase, the acquisition of new vehicles and the review of protocols with partners from the Integrated Medical Emergency System, firefighters and the Portuguese Red Cross.
Sérgio Janeiro highlighted that these advances give “more encouragement to continue and to trust that the year 2025 will be a turning point, both in the quality of the assistance provided and in the trust that the population can continue to have in Samu”.
Last December, an agreement was reached with the Union of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians (STEPH) that will allow all technicians a salary increase of 256 euros from January.
The dissatisfaction of pre-hospital emergency technicians had culminated in an overtime strike that began on October 30th and which, on November 4th, coincided with the Public Service strike and forced the stoppage of several means of assistance, causing hours of delays in answering calls to INEM.
After several reports of deaths of users allegedly related to delays in aid, the Government ended up negotiating, which led to the suspension of the strike.
