André Kosters / LUSA
A group of more than a thousand doctors providing services is preparing a stoppage of emergency services for when the diploma with which the Government wants to lower the hourly rate to be paid is published.
The news is released this Wednesday by the newspaper, which details that these doctors say they feel “ostracized” and “excluded from decisions”.
Gathered in a WhatsApp group, the workers intend to stop the emergency services of the National Health Service (SNS) for at least three days.
The newspaper cites minutes from a meeting held last week, which states that these professionals say they are prepared to defend, “without fear or hesitation”, the appreciation of workers.
According to the morning newspaper, the minutes of a meeting held on October 30th, by the so-called “management of representatives of Portuguese contractors”, explain that the operationalization of the protest will be “formalized by e-mail to be sent by all contractors to their respective service directors or boards of directors”, based on a base text prepared by one of the group’s members.
The date and duration of the protest have not yet been defined, writes the newspaper, which spoke to one of the doctors involved.
“Os successive ministries of Health they 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.
Doctors from this group 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.
What does the new law say?
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 taskmasterimposing 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, must also remain prevented from working as service providers for the SNS 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.
