According to data from the Ministry of Health, released in a statement, in 2022 this contingent was 427 retired doctors, a number that increased to 587 in 2023.

Retired doctors are hired through an exceptional regime, defined annually by order, which aims to increase the SNS's ability to respond to the population's health needs.

According to the statement, professionals can be hired immediately by the public health service without interruptions in care activities.

“The contingent covers the signing of new employment contracts, as well as their renewal”, says the Ministry of Health, which set the number of retired doctors to be hired for the services and establishments of the National Health Service in 2024 at 900.

The ministry states that, over the last few years, the SNS has invested in increasing its number of specialist doctors, which totaled around 21,500 at the end of 2023, an increase of 26% compared to 2015.

“Despite the path taken, the current medical demographic does not allow all needs to be met, which is why the maintenance of this exceptional and transitional hiring regime is justified”, he highlights.

“This guarantees greater speed in the decision-making process and a more effective solution that better safeguards the interests of the SNS and its users, by allowing the immediate hiring of doctors who, upon retiring, are interested and available to continue working. SNS service, without any interruption in the continuity of the assistance activity carried out”, states the Secretary of State for Health, Ricardo Mestre.