Closing of the external emergency service can now occur with prior authorization from DE-SNS, under the proposal of the Board of Directors of the Local Health Unit (ULS).
From yesterday, hospitals can only close external urgencies with authorization from the SNS Executive Directorate (DE-SNS), and have to communicate daily the rate of bar occupation and the influx to emergency services.
The measures are included in the Plan for the Seasonal Response and Health-Summer Module, which entered into force this Thursday and extends until September 30, which aims to reinforce the care response in the National Health Service (NHS) at this time characterized by a Increased demand health services.
According to the order that establishes these measures, published on April 10, increased demand is due to several factors, such as increased seasonal diseases, intensification of tourist activity and increased extreme temperatures.
“These factors require a strategic reinforcement of the care capacity of the NHS, ensuring the continuity and quality of health care provided,” reads in the order signed by the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo.
In this context, specific measures of reinforcement and reorganization of services were established, such as the closure of the external emergency service to occur with prior authorization from the DE-SNS, on the proposal of the Board of Directors of the Local Health Unit (ULS), and the mere information is not sufficient to the National Medical Emergency Institute.
The proposal must identify the ULS to which the users should be forwarded, as well as the reference to the period and reason for the eventual closure of the emergency service, compulsorily distinguishing between short -term closures and longer duration.
As ULS also have to communicate daily the rate of bed occupation and the influx to urgent servicesas well as activation of the higher contingency level and the mitigation measures implemented.
Additionally, the articulation between the ULS, the Ministry of Health’s shared services and the INEM, to ensure “an integrated and efficient response to emergencies, as well as the adequacy of response times and reinforcing emergency means as necessary,” says the diploma.
Other measures They aim at the reinforcement and reorganization of services, ensuring the proper care response, through the optimization of human resources, the reorganization of the urgent scales, the interinstitutional articulation and the strengthening of the operational capacity of health units.
Thus, ULS should elaborately elaborate service scales, posted in a visible place for health professionals, who ensure the presence of medical teams, nursing and other health professionals appropriate to care needs and, whenever necessary, reevaluating them to the DE-SNS with at least two months in advance.
Should also reinforce the capacity of primary health care units, ensuring, whenever necessary, “the extending the time and reinforcing care in acute disease situations to avoid overloading hospital emergencyin particular those whose geographical location allows you to anticipate a higher seasonal influx of users resulting from the seasonal travel of the population to holidays, mass events and international tourism. ”
According to the order, ULS should identify and activate additional beds for hospitalization, in particular for chronic patients, dehydration victims and pathologies associated with high temperatures.
The DE-SNS, in articulation with the ULS, should monitor the execution of the plan for the seasonal health response, ensuring monitoring of the care response and adjusting the measures whenever necessary.
9 closed emergencies this weekend
This will be another weekend marked by constraints in health services, with particular emphasis on the end of emergency gynecology e obstetrics in several hospital units in the country.
The situation starts this Friday, with the closure of these services in the Garcia de Orta Hospitals (Almada), Amadora-Sintra, Barreiro and Santarém. Em Vila Franca de Xiraonly the urgency of obstetrics.
On Saturday, the scenario gets worse with the closing of 9 emergenciesalso covering the hospitals of Faro, Caldas da Rainha, Leiria and again Vila Franca de Xira. In the latter, and at Beatriz Ângelo Hospital (Loures), also the urgency of pediatrics will be closed, according to SIC Notícias.
On Sunday, most of these units will be closedexcept for the urgency of the Queen’s Caldas, which reopens, while the one of Abrantes ends. The specialty of gynecology and obstetrics is once again the most affected.
