According to a source from the Ministry of Health, the first tenders will be for the creation of Family Health Units model C (USF-C) in the Algarve and Leiria, with the remaining tenders expected to be launched in 2026.

With the aim of reducing the number of people without a family doctor, the Government approved in September 2024 the decree-law that provides for the creation of health centres managed by the private and social sectors and by local authorities.

According to the National Health Service's transparency portal, a total of 1,542,989 people did not have an assigned family doctor at the end of October this year.

The emergency and health transformation plan stipulated that in July 2024 the first 20 Family Health Units (USF-C) would be put out to tender, of which 10 would be in Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, the region of the country most lacking in family doctors, five in Leiria and another five in the Algarve.

The Ministries of Finance and Health last week authorised eight local health units (ULS) – Algarve, Amadora-Sintra, Tagus Estuary, Western Lisbon, West, Leiria, São José and Santa Maria – to bear the costs of creating these new health centres, for a total amount of approximately 70 million euros until 2030.

Given that the first tenders for the USF-C (Family Health Units - Community) will be launched this year, the decrees published in the Official Gazette already foresee the authorization of expenditure in 2025 – approximately 256,000 euros for the Algarve ULS and 49,000 euros for the Leiria Region ULS, explained the Ministry of Health.

According to the decrees, the West ULS is authorized to assume a cost of 16.7 million euros until 2030 for the acquisition of healthcare services and management of the USF-C, followed by São José (15.5 million euros), Amadora-Sintra (10.2), Algarve (8.4), Tagus Estuary (eight), Western Lisbon (six), Santa Maria (3.1) and Leiria (1.8).

Only patients without an assigned family doctor will be registered in the new Family Health Units model C, foreseen in the National Health Service Statute for several years, and the lists will be delivered by the Local Health Units.