Oncologists warn of unsafe and unacceptable working conditions
Oncologists in the Algarve have formally refused responsibility for the quality of patient care due to what they describe as unsafe and unacceptable working conditions at the region’s public health services.
In a serious move known as an “escusa de responsabilidade” (excuse of responsibility, translated roughly), doctors at the Algarve Local Health Unit (ULS Algarve) have filed official statements distancing themselves from the risks tied to delayed treatments, broken equipment, and lack of basic conditions – like hot water and working bathrooms.
Their warnings, made public by the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM) on Tuesday, describe a hospital system under serious strain. According to FNAM, doctors report months-long delays in approving essential medications and diagnostic tests, which they say are directly affecting patients’ chances of survival.
They also point to a “critical shortage” of staff, no long-term plan to retain doctors in the region, and reliance on medical interns to keep the oncology ward running.
In addition, doctors say key equipment frequently breaks down, including machines needed to safely prepare chemotherapy treatments. FNAM says these failures, combined with structural disorganisation, create an unsafe environment for both staff and patients.
Another major complaint is that frontline professionals have been left out of strategic decisions about the future of oncology care in the region.
These concerns come shortly after the municipal council of Loulé announced a new plan to create a dedicated cancer treatment facility, in partnership with ULS Algarve and the Algarve Biomedical Research and Training Centre (ABC). The new unit aims to stop the need for patients to travel hundreds of kilometres to Lisbon or Seville for care – something many currently must do.
