The Government has implemented a reorganisation of the SNS, which has resulted in the creation of 39 Local Health Units (ULS) across the country, including the Algarve ULS, the Centro Hospital Universitário do Algarve (CHUA) and three Health Center Groups (ACES) in the region.

The supervision of the ACES, Barlavento, Central and Sotavento, was the responsibility of the Regional Health Administration (ARS) of the Algarve, an entity which no longer exists.

The creation of the three new USF type B reflects the novelty of this process in the Algarve, along with the appointment of João Ferriera on January 4, to preside over the board of directors of the region’s ULS.

Regarding the reorganisation of primary health care in Portugal, the Government highlighted that the first phase of the process of type B USFs will allow family doctors to be provided to over 300,000 patients.

On January 1, 222 new USF type B came into operation, with Portimão, Lagoa and Castro Marim among the 51 municipalities that will have a USF of this type for the first time.

The same source stated that “there will be 570 USF-B in operation, in 154 of the 278 municipalities on the continent”, involving “more than 3,500 health professionals, who will now have incentives for performance and salary increases of at least 60 percent.

On January 4, the executive management of the SNS appointed members of the board of directors of 13 ULS and of the Instituto Português de Oncologia of Coimbra (IPO).

The executive management of the SNS also appointed Noélia Pinto as clinical director for the area of primary health care and Carla Silva Pais as an executive member of the administration of ULS in the Algarve.