HEALTH CARE

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HEALTH CARE

• If you are in Portugal on a temporary visit and you need urgent medical treatment, this should be covered by your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you are an EU citizen.

• If you are resident in Portugal, then to obtain health care you should register with your local Health Centre (Centro de Saúde)and obtain a National Health Service Card (Cartão de Utente do SNS). You will need to present your passport as proof of identity and have an address in the area. This card should always be presented when requesting any health or medical care, including visits to the dentist. (Alternatively, or in addition, you may wish to take out private health insurance to finance the use of private medical clinics, of which there are many in Portugal.)


• The Health Centre provides a full range of services including a GP service, nursing service, social services, public health service, family –planning clinic, pre-natal care etc. Opening hours are usually Monday-Friday, 8 am – 8 pm, although these hours may be extended so it is advisable to check. A small ‘moderating’ fee of a few euros is payable for each appointment, with the exception of children under 12, pregnant women, registered unemployed, and a few other cases.

• In rural areas it is common for Health Centres to have ‘extensions’ throughout the area, that are open at limited times for attendance and consultations with medical professionals.

• Apart from medications for a few chronic diseases, all medicines have to be paid for, although they are usually cheaper on prescription accompanied by a National Health Service Card.


• If you have any cause for complaint about the services offered, all health centres have a complaints book (Livro de Reclamaçãos) in which you can record your complaint. These complaints have to be acknowledged by law.


• In emergency or out of hours scenarios you should go to the SAP (Serviço de Atendimento Permanente) of your health centre, if it has one, where there is always a professional medic on duty. Alternatively you can go straight to the emergency department of your nearest hospital. If you need to contact the emergency services for an ambulance dial 112. (There is no charge for the call or the service.)


National Emergency Number:
Tel.: 112

Coimbra Hospitals:
Coimbra University Hospital (Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra - HUC):
Tel.: 239 400 400 / 239 400 600 /239 827 446
Coimbra General Hospital (Hospitais dos Covões):
Tel.: 239 800 100 / 239 800 181

District Health Authority of Coimbra
Av. D. Afonso Henriques, 141
3001-551 Coimbra
Tel.: 239 48 05 00

Ministry Of Health
Av. João Crisóstomo, 9-2º
1049-062 Lisboa
Tel.: 21 330 50 00

General Health Authority (Direcção Geral da Saúde)
Alameda D. Afonso Henriques, 45
1000 Lisboa
Tel.: 21 843 05 00