In January, the Government announced 400 social admission slots in intermediate care, contracted through the social sector by setting up new autonomous units or repurposing existing beds.

When questioned before the Parliamentary Health Committee, UMP President Manuel Lemos highlighted that all 400 intermediate beds for social admission have been identified, and about 160 are currently operational.

Other beds are currently in the evaluation and implementation phase; he estimated that "by the first days of June," all 400 beds would be established, though he noted that the process remains contingent on validation and administrative procedures by the State.

Manuel Lemos also emphasised the need for speed in implementing these solutions, warning that delays could prompt institutions to withdraw their offers to fill vacancies.

He added that delays could demotivate *Misericórdias* who expect prompt responses after offering support.

The official also called for a national-level response to the challenges posed by an ageing population, underscoring the imperative to ensure the elderly receive adequate support.

"This is a national imperative; we must not let our elderly down," he said, linking the issue to families and society at large.

Manuel Lemos further stated that society also bears a share of the responsibility for the challenges posed by an ageing population, noting that individual choices ultimately affect the system as a whole.

“We see many people—for entirely valid reasons—buying a car or a sofa,” with payments spread out over time, while a grandparent might be in the hospital, he clarified, warning that one must have “a serious awareness” of what this problem entails.

Manuel Lemos also identified population ageing as one of the primary factors placing pressure on the system.

Regarding the rise in cases of “social admissions”, patients occupying hospital beds for social rather than medical reasons, which reached 2,800 in March of this year and accounted for 14% of public hospital beds following clinical discharge, the official stated that many of these patients are elderly individuals lacking family or social support networks.

“Work needs to be done, but it is not an automatic process. Because a bed that is announced is not the same thing as a bed that is actually open,” he emphasised.

Manuel Lemos further argued that priority should be given to individuals residing within the immediate catchment area of ​​each institution, noting that this geographical factor must be taken into account when managing bed availability.

He also proposed creating a more structured mental health network in Portugal, deeming it essential to the system.

He underscored that opening new facilities takes time, particularly in recruiting and training professionals, and noted that simply announcing the availability of beds is not enough to make them immediately available.

“Just because the Union of Misericórdias tells the Minister that it can secure 400 beds, that doesn't mean there will actually be 400 beds available the very next day,” he stated, adding that the implementation process requires verification and oversight by the State.

The official noted that these specific care solutions must operate under a different framework than standard nursing homes, as they are intended to serve as intermediate care beds.

He added that implementing these solutions on the ground is a complex undertaking, and that it is impossible to resolve, in just a few months, a problem linked to population ageing, a trend he noted has worsened over the past two decades.