New period of 383.2 million euros for SNS24: Why is the budget growing so much?

The Portuguese government allowed Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde to spend up to 383.2 million euros + VAT for the new system that will cover the next operating period of the SNS24 line.

The figure is well above the current SNS24 contract.

However, it is wrong to read 383.2 million euros as the new tender price awarded to a company today.

This amount is the maximum spending authority that can be used until 2032 and a new international tender is just being prepared.

How will 383.2 million euros be used?

The new era will not only consist of the cost of personnel to answer the phones.

Plan:

technological development,

establishment and management of the operation,

communication,

audit and contract management

and the development of new digital channels.

The expenditure will be spread over several years.

The authority to spend approximately 37.4 million euros for 2027, approximately 76.45 million euros annually between 2028 and 2031, and approximately 36 million euros for 2032 is envisaged.

VAT will also be added to these.

Current contract increased from 51 million to 76.57 million euros

SNS24 is currently operated by Meo.

The initial maximum value of the current contract, which was signed in 2023 and started in March 2024, was 51 million euros.

The contract was later increased by 50% to 76.57 million euros.

The current agreement can continue until December 31, 2027, or if the allocated budget is exhausted before that date.

The new 383.2 million euro authorization is the next tender. is preparing his term.

It is not clear whether Meo will win the new tender.

This distinction is important.

Meo is the current operator.

However, SPMS is preparing an international public tender for the new period of 383.2 million euros.

Therefore, it cannot be concluded that the existing company will automatically receive the new contract.

The tender is expected to be opened in the coming months.

Demand for SNS24 increased by 58.9%

One of the most important factors behind the increase in the budget is the growth of SNS24's role in the healthcare system.

According to Entidade Reguladora da Saúde research, the number of calls answered in the triage and routing service increased by 58.9% between 2024–2025.

The “Ligue Antes, Salve Vidas” system encourages citizens to call SNS24 before going to the emergency room.

As a result, the line now plays a much more central role in accessing SNS.

But wait times have also worsened

Increased usage comes at a cost.

ERS found that calls, especially those waiting longer than 30 minutes, were on the rise.

The current contract includes performance targets such as answering 93% of calls in less than 15 seconds and keeping the average wait under 30 seconds.

According to the information given in the Parliament at the end of 2025, 19 penalties were imposed on the current operator due to performance problems, and their total amount reached approximately 1.5 million euros.

Therefore, the success of the new 383.2 million euro period is not only based on the money to be spent, but also on how the calls are made. It should also be evaluated based on how quickly and effectively it is answered.

Resources

ECO — Flávio Nunes, September 25, 2026

https://eco.sapo.pt/2026/09/25/despesa-com-linha-sns24-vai-disparar-governo-atribui-verba-de-383-milhoes-para-executar-ate-2032/