The announcement was made by Miguel Guimarães, the PMA President, in a speech at the "National Health Service (SNS) at 40" Conference, which took place in Lisbon.


Miguel Guimarães said that there will be more than 1,800 vacancies for doctors who will begin training in their specialty.


More doctors in training at the SNS does not mean that all specialists will be working in the public service, he recognized.


For this very reason, and despite this increase, the President stressed that "the great challenge of the National Health Service" is to remain "attractive to new generations".


"It is necessary to do something for doctors to stay here and in the SNS. We have a new wave of doctors who are more demanding in terms of working conditions and more receptive to looking for alternatives that meet their needs".


Miguel Guimarães said that it was not possible to indicate the reasons for the increase in vacancies, this had to be analysed on a case-by-case basis. In some situations it has to do with restoring training capacity in services, in others it may be linked to the reorganisation of units. There is also an increase in vacancies in private hospitals.