The professional bodies representing doctors and nurses have confirmed that 17,267 of their members left Portugal between 2010 and February 2018.The reason cited, is that other countries simply are able to offer better pay and conditions and are keen to attract professionals trained in Portugal which has a reputation for turning out excellent healthcare workers.
"The nurses emigrated for better work and conditions. They are much better treated and respected abroad," said Ana Rita Cavaco from the nurses' professional body, who explained that in Portugal, "the problem is not the training but the employment," noting that, "about 15,000 nurses now work abroad."
One of the differences for nurses is that there are countries where they have their training paid for by the state. In Portugal, this applies only to doctors.
Miguel Guimarães from Portugal’s Medical Association, said that, "the Ministry of Health is not only jeopardising the quality of health care provided to our citizens, but also our economy."
Speaking to Correio da Manhã today, Guimarães regretted that we have not even reached the end of the first half of 2018 and it seems for Portugal’s doctors, "there already is a tendency for emigration to increase."
