Portugal's Health System Sees Foreign Registrations Top 1.1 Million, Doctor Shortage Worsens
Foreign registrations with Portugal’s SNS have surpassed 1.1 million, intensifying the already critical shortage of family doctors in several health units.
📌 Key Highlights & Context
- Foreign registrations exceeded 1.1 million at the end of September.
- CSP added 48 k new users in three months, half of them foreigners.
- Over 80% of eligible foreigners lack a family doctor in Arco Ribeirinho, Oeste, Loures/Odivelas and Arrábida.
Rise in Foreign Registrations
According to the SNS Transparency Portal, the number of foreign citizens enrolled in Primary Health Care (CSP) reached more than 1.1 million by the end of September. In the last three months CSP recorded about 48 000 new registrations, half of which were foreigners.
Family Doctor Access Gap
Out of a total of 10,794,761 CSP users, 10,625,318 are eligible for a family doctor, yet 1,373,189 still have no assigned physician. This figure rose by roughly 11 000 compared with August, but fell by the same amount since the end of July.
Among those with a doctor, over 595 000 are foreigners. In several health units – Arco Ribeirinho, Oeste, Loures/Odivelas and Arrábida – more than 80% of eligible foreign patients remain without a family doctor.
- Arco Ribeirinho: 82% of eligible foreigners lack a doctor.
- Oeste: 81% of eligible foreigners lack a doctor.
- Loures/Odivelas: 80% of eligible foreigners lack a doctor.
- Arrábida: 80% of eligible foreigners lack a doctor.