The Portuguese Nurses Union assures that the vacancies for nurses that will be made available in the Algarve «will certainly not remain unfilled» and defends the opening of new competitions. The union's Algarvian nucleus reacted to the statements of Health Minister Paulo Macedo, this week, at a Parliamentary Hearing and considered that the strengthening of health units in the region announced by the Government falls far short of what is needed.
Paulo Macedo's announcement that they will "open a significant number of vacancies" for nurses does not convince the union, which considers that the announced hiring of 45 nurses, for the Algarve Hospital Center alone, "cannot be called for reinforcement, as in which it is not even enough to replace the approximately 60 nurses who left recently».
“When the Minister of Health says that “despite opening competitions, many vacancies will remain unfilled”, he naturally refers to doctors. But if the President of the ARS Algarve himself says that there are 159 nurses missing in the Region, why don't they open the competition?”, asks, on the other hand, the SEP, in a press release.
The SEP, who took the opportunity to reaffirm that there are 350 nurses in the region, recalls that these health professionals "have applied by the thousands to the few vacancies that have been opened in the country" and that "about 90 percent of nurses who graduate every year emigrate."
"Primary Health Care urgently needs nurses, especially to implement the "Family Nurse" that the Government has committed to creating," he warned.
The union members also question the declarations made by the member of the Government, when he «states that the lack of resources in the Algarve is a problem of the local forum, of the ARS and of the CHA, when hiring must be authorized by the Ministry of Health and Finance !».
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