Public-private partnerships are (successful) models of past administrations
The government is preparing to convert five hospitals into public-private partnerships (PPPs). The resolution will be approved today by the Council of Ministers, reports Público.
The hospitals of Braga, Amadora-Sintra, Vila Franca de Xira, Loures and Garcia de Orta are involved. All, except Garcia de Orta, have worked previously under successful public-private partnerships.
The moves towards this changeover were mooted last week by Minister of Health Ana Paula Martins, who told Antena 1’s ‘Política com Assinatura’ podcast, that in her opinion, “many of our health centres should return to the PPP model”.
As she explained, if certain types of health centres returned to a concession and management model with rules that are used in the private sector, there would be ‘better results for people’.
“It’s a question of management, it has nothing to do with ideology,” she said.
According to Público, the government will justify its decision with the continued deterioration in the quality of the services provided in the various hospitals in question.
Luís Montenegro’s government has insisted that access to health care – as provided for in the Constitution – must be done using the public, private and social means available, adds SIC Notícias.
The way ahead however, will take time, if the changes happen at all: tenders will have to go out and be decided, all as the country braces for a marathon of elections in the coming months – legislative (almost certainly in May), municipal (September/ October) and presidential (January, 2026) – none of which can be safely predicted.
