Four more anesthetists are leaving the Dona Estefânia Hospital in Lisbon

Problems with the anesthesiology staff at Hospital Dona Estefânia in Lisbon are on the agenda again. Unidade Local de Saúde São José (ULSSJ), which runs the hospital, confirmed that four anesthesiologists will leave the institution in October.

The development came after nine team managers in the pediatric emergency department of the same hospital resigned from their managerial positions at the beginning of the month, citing problems in anesthesiology services.

However, hospital management argues that the impact of the four new separations on services will be limited.

Three doctors had not been on active duty for a long time

According to ULS São José's statement, three of the four doctors who will leave have not been on duty for months.

One of them was on parental leave and two were on long-term sick leave. The fourth doctor worked part-time.

The management therefore states that the termination of the contracts does not mean the simultaneous loss of four full-time doctors at the current daily capacity.

New doctors have been recruited since June

ULSSJ announced that four new anesthesiology specialists have been recruited to the staff since June and six new service providers have been assigned to Dona Estefânia.

It is stated that there are a total of 144 health professionals in the anesthesiology service within ULS, including specialists, doctors with specialization training and service providers.

However, all of these 144 people are in Dona Estefânia He is not on duty. The staff is managed among seven hospitals affiliated with ULS São José.

It is also stated that doctors with pediatric anesthesiology experience can be temporarily referred to Dona Estefânia when necessary.

Why is the issue important?

Dona Estefânia is one of the main pediatric hospitals in Lisbon. Anesthesiology service is critical not only for surgeries, but also for the continuation of certain emergency interventions and pediatric procedures.

The resignation of nine team leaders from their coordination duties in the pediatric emergency department at the beginning of the month was also associated with problems in filling anesthesiology shifts.

ULSSJ announced at that time that the doctors in question had resigned not from their duties as doctors at the hospital, but from their coordination and team leadership duties in the emergency department.

Ordem dos Médicos estimated that approximately 600 additional anesthesiology specialists are needed across the SNS in the near future and called for a national strategy to attract and retain specialists in the public healthcare system.

Therefore, the development at Dona Estefânia is not limited to the end of the contracts of the four doctors; It is also part of a broader discussion about the shortage of anesthesiology staff in the Portuguese public healthcare system.

Resources

Renascença, Anabela Góis, 18 September 2026

https://rr.pt/noticia/pais/2026/09/18/hospital-dona-estefania-confirma-saida-de-quatro-anestesistas/485979/

Observador / Lusa, 18 September 2026

https://observador.pt/2026/09/18/uls-sao-jose-confirma-saida-de-quatro-anestesiologistas-mas-preve-impacto-reduzido/

RTP

https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/dona-estefania-sem-anestesistas-ordem-dos-medicos-pede-reuniao-urgente-no-ministerio-da-saude_v1763485