Health Minister Paulo Macedo last week interrupted his Algarve holiday to visit the hospital in Portimão to observe the results of renovation works and the reorganisation of the ER and inpatient areas.
During the visit, the Minister said that the redesign and reorganisation of the emergency admission area has ended the necessity for patients to be placed on trolleys in the hospital corridors.
Macedo took the opportunity of announcing a politically expedient increase in the number of health professionals in the Algarve by authorising the hire of 41 more nurses.
There is an ongoing, albeit unsuccessful, recruitment drive to increase the number of health professionals in the Algarve and the Minister of Health drew attention to the 105 vacancies for doctors that currently exist, failing to adress the reasons why these posts have not been taken up.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hospitals of the Algarve Group, Dr Pedro Nunes, said these vacancies will remain open until filled.
Neither health manager commented on the recent strike called by the nurses union for 24 and 25 September over working conditions that have seen many staff working back-to-back shifts to help maintain a basic service level in the absence of a full compliment of staff.
The August 22 strike that caused the Algarve's health service almost to fail also drew no comment.
See also:
http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/3327-algarve-s-nurses-to-join-two-day-strike
http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/3230-health-workers-strike-means-emergency-surgery-only
