Algarve needs 66 summertime Doctors

The Algarve needs 66 doctors to maintain cover this summer.

The Regional Health Administration, with the unfortunate abbreviation, ‘ARS Algarve’, last Friday announced the list of needs for the region, adding that it’s now up to doctors to apply for the vacancies – but it remains unlikely that many vacancies will be filled.

According to ARS Algarve, there is a need to hire ten anaesthetists (five for Portimão Hospital and five for Faro Hospital) three cardiologists for Faro, a pediatric cardiologist, also for Faro hospital, four gynecologists/obstetricians for Faro and Portimão hospitals.

For General and Family Medicine, six vacancies have been announced – for VRSA, Loulé, Albufeira and Lagos and two for the Barlavento Health Centers Group.

There’s a need for doctors sopecialising dialising in Internal Medicine, nephrologists, urologists and neurosurgeons for the summer season as well as ophthalmologists, oncologists, orthopedic specialists and pediatricians.

This summertime special is to run until September 30th but if it’s anything like last year, few will apply.

According to the ARS Algarve, “the Ministry of Health intends to strengthen medical care in the Algarve region, without compromising the regular and normal functioning of other health services and facilities.”

ARS waffles that, ‘this model of mobility streamlines the procedure for the placement of medical workers, particularly in situations where they are essential for adequate care coverage, to improve the setting up of emergency calls and to increase medical care through mobility, in particular the partial mobility provided for by law.’

Since 2016, the Government has tried to strengthen the number of doctors in the Algarve during the summer, but no one has been interested in applying.

In 2019, to convince doctors to accept temporary jobs, ARS Algarve will try to find free accommodation, ‘according to local availability,’ i.e. at full summertime rental rates.