Nurses point out that the summer surge is predictable but has not been properly addressed
The A&E department at Faro Hospital is currently experiencing “unusually high pressure” due to a spike in ambulance arrivals, leading to longer waiting times for patients, the Algarve Local Health Unit (ULS Algarve) said on Thursday.
The issue came to public attention after a report by TVI on Wednesday showed nearly a dozen ambulances lined up outside the hospital, waiting for patients to be admitted and stretchers to be freed.
In a written statement to Lusa news agency, the hospital administration acknowledged the “abnormally high peaks” in ambulance-transported patient arrivals, many of whom require more complex care. This surge, they explained, has contributed to delays in treatment due to limited capacity.
ULS Algarve noted that its clinical leadership is implementing various measures to ease the pressure but did not provide further details.
What many are taking issue with, including the Portuguese Nurses’ Union (SEP), is that summer peaks should come as no surprise to anyone – they happen every year. As SEP representative Alda Pereira told Lusa, this seasonal increase – which is affecting all three public hospitals in the Algarve (Faro, Portimão and Lagos) – is predictable but has not been properly addressed, as the region continues to face considerable health professional shortages.
“During the summer, the population can triple or even quadruple,” Pereira said. “Yet the Summer Plan does not account for this reality”. In other words, hospitals struggle to keep up with nurse numbers well below the desirable, the union rep said.
She also pointed out that the emergency department should have over 80 nurses but currently operates with only around 70. Similar staffing shortages are reported among doctors and operational staff.
These shortages, combined with the summer patient surge, eventually take a toll, with some professionals burning out or leaving altogether, making the situation even more critical and worsening the quality of care for patients and waiting times.
Despite ongoing efforts to hire more nurses, including public job openings, Pereira insisted that recruitment alone isn’t enough: “Professionals also need to feel motivated,” Pereira said, adding that without that, the system breaks down.
