Gathered in a WhatsApp group, these working doctors intend to stop the emergency services of the National Health Service (SNS) for at least three days, according to the newspaper, which cites the minutes of a meeting held last week.
A group of more than a thousand service-providing doctors is preparing a stoppage of emergency services for when the diploma with which the Government wants to lower the hourly rate to be paid comes out,
Gathered in a WhatsApp group, these working doctors intend to stop the emergency services of the National Health Service (SNS) for at least three days, according to the newspaper, which cites the minutes of a meeting held last week.
Professionals say they feel “ostracized” e “excluded from decisions” and say they are prepared to defend, “without fear or hesitation”the appreciation of workers.
According to Público, the minutes of a meeting held on October 30th, by the so-called “direction of representatives of Portuguese contractors”explains that the operationalization of the protest will be “formalized by email to be sent by all employees to their respective service directors or boards of directors”based on a base text prepared by one of the group members.
The date and duration of the protest have not yet been defined, writes the newspaper, which spoke to one of the doctors involved. “Successive Ministries of Health have treated us like second-class doctors, ignoring the value, sacrifice and dedication of those who provide the front line of hospital emergencies”can be read in the document.
“Ostracized, devalued and excluded from decisions that shape the future of the medical profession in Portugal”
Doctors in this group still say they feel “ostracized, devalued and excluded from decisions that shape the future of the medical profession in Portugal”. This initiative follows the approval by the Council of Ministers, on the 22nd, of the decree-law that will regulate the hiring of workers for the SNS.
The text of the diploma is not yet known, but it was presented to medical unions in negotiation meetings with the guardianship. According to the information reported so far, the new legislation should prevent doctors from leaving the NHS (due to termination of employment contract or retirement) to be a taskmaster, imposing a grace period of up to three years.
New specialist doctors who do not compete in placement competitions or who, upon obtaining a position, do not sign a contract, should also be prevented from working as service providers for the NHS for a period.
The decree-law will provide exception clauses for proposals duly substantiated by Local Health Units (ULS) so as not to jeopardize the response to patients.
