Opening hours will increase at the weekend and on New Year’s Day to reduce pressure on emergency services.

Health Minister Manuel Pizarro announced today that the number of health centres with extended opening hours will increase at the weekend and on New Year’s Day to reduce pressure on emergency services.

“We are going to announce today a programme to open health centres during extended hours during the weekend and on Monday, the January 1 holiday, because it is essential that people, in such circumstances, are cautious in following the rules”, Manuel Pizarro told journalists on the sidelines of the 100th-anniversary ceremony of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) in Lisbon.

The minister reiterated that, before going to a hospital emergency, people should call 112 if they believe it is an emergency, or alternatively, the SNS 24 Line.

“That’s why we reinforce [open health centres], to be able to serve more people”, said the minister, who added that those in need of assistance “should look where to go if they need a health care professional, doctor or nurse because, in many cases, they can be treated at home”.