Only the lack of a canopy shaded the opening of the family health unit Aldegalega

Nuno Kanta and health officials praised the quality of the space, which made a good impression on users. But there was a solution

At eight in the morning the first users, from a queue of about twenty people who had been waiting for services that had been provided until yesterday only at the Montego Health Center, entered the Avenida Luis de Camويسes. The number was sent by one of those present at the launch of the new Aldegalega Family Health Unit (USF), which was installed in an old ward at Montijense Hospital, with mixed demand.

“over here [à porta] Just need an umbrella, when it rains. It’s not mine, it’s old people,” asked the user of Nuno Canta, Mayor of Montejo, who had just visited the venue in the company of Miguel Lemos, CEO of Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde (ACES) Arco Ribeirinho, and Teresa Carneiro, who recently took over the presidency Board of Directors of Centro Hospitalar Barreiro Montijo (CHBM).

USF Aldegalega has begun work – although the official opening has been booked for an as-yet-to-date date – with the transfer of five doctors from Montijo Health Center. For the rest, the equipment on Avenida Luís de Camões, at 10 am, seemed more relaxed in terms of the flow of users. The information displayed on the window on the door helped explain: “From 15-09-2022, users of the medical lists listed below must go to USF Aldegalega,” the document addressed to physicians’ patients indicated “Ana Madera;” Katya Shoemaker The rumor of Liliana Lina Bernic, Rosario Santos and Olga Samorodova.

Just before 11 a.m., at USF Aldegalega, located on the hospital grounds, there was no soul at the door. The calm was only broken by the arrival of Nuno Canta and Miguel Lemos around the same time. Soon, Teresa Carneiro entered. As the trio “discovered” the escorts and greeted the resident team, there was some movement outside, drop by drop, with users entering and exiting. The impressions of those who had their first contact with the new space were positive.

“I came to make an appointment, because my exit [médica] finish. I booked for tomorrow [hoje]. The new facilities, from what I can see, are good. [E o atendimento] “It was faster than usual,” Sarah Bastos said.

Antonio Rita had an identical opinion, although he did not go into detail about the new facilities. “I came to make an appointment, because my family doctor came here. Looks good, everything new looks good. But I didn’t notice much, because they called me right away. She was quick there [no Centro de Saúde] It just took a little longer,” the user admitted.

Joanna Teixeira was less fortunate. I wanted to make an appointment, I went to the health center and they sent me here because my doctor is on vacation. but today [ontem] I was told that there are no more vacancies and I will have to return on Monday,” he lamented, without failing to give a note about the appearance of the place. “From the little I could see, in the entrance area, everything is fine.”

Nuno Canta and Miguel Lemos hope to attract more doctors

Who did not hide his happiness at what he saw is Nuno Kanta. “Despite the image, the most important thing here is to have another NHS structure [SNS]In order to be able to respond to more users, especially to users who did not have a family doctor until today,” the mayor commented.

But he admitted that for this “more doctors will be needed”. A situation that the mayor sees as surmountable in the short term. “The team is very excited and the perspective they gave us is that these doctors are going to come here quickly, because these new facilities motivate and attract health professionals,” he said, before describing some of the equivalences to the new USF. “Here we will have nursing-health offices, specialized offices for a disease that affects many older people, diabetes, but also for pediatrics, with two offices dedicated to monitoring children’s health, as well as many other offices for general consultations and in the field of cardiology.”

In addition to the five doctors who moved out of Montego Health Center, USF Aldegalega has a “new clinician” and will continue to receive “another physician,” Miguel Lemos emphasized. However, coverage of the city’s family doctors is “still in short supply,” the person in charge of ACES Arco Ribeirinho admitted. “This unit is excellent. This kind of new unit makes our area more attractive, in attracting young doctors,” he noted, clearly optimistic.

Regarding the more than 25,000 users without a family doctor in the city, Miguel Lemos explained: “The Montego Health Center will continue to operate and we are working to develop the response of the Green Corridor model for these users. [de consultas] It is done over the phone or e-mail. They now have an answer, but no family doctor has been appointed.” He added that this is a model “in force at ACES Almada-Seixal” and that it “has given very good results in terms of care for users without a family doctor.” However, this is “not the definitive answer.” Even Because he assured the person in charge that the need is different. “What we really need are family doctors, period,” he emphasized in closing.

Teresa Carneiro “Extraordinary facilities”

Teresa Carneiro praised the terms of USF Adegaleja. The person in charge of the CHBM said, “The facilities are extraordinary and will certainly contribute to a better health response to users,” while the opening of the new unit is a “very important moment for SNS.” He added, “People are happy with the new facilities and with this we are also sure that the administrative and service processes will be implemented differently, in order to bring the health responses closer to what is required.”

About the early days leading CHBM management, Teresa Carneiro summarized: “It has been a huge privilege, because it is an institution with a history that we want to continue to make, while carrying out work that does not embarrass the hospital and its specialists. The challenge is to continue and deepen that work.”