Portugal: Safety Health Program

In Portugal the National Health Service (NHS) is supported by a body of health professionals numbering more than 148,000, including doctors, nurses, senior health technicians, technical assistants, operational assistants, pharmacists, and support workers. In 2019 it started to be discussed the need to promote the safety and security of the health professionals and mainly a better coordination between the LAE rule by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the NHS departments rule by the Ministry of Health. In 2021 health units reported 961 episodes of violence, corresponding to an increase of 16% compared to 2020, in which 825 episodes were reported. About 80% of the hospital units and medical centers belonging to the NHS structure are in the PSP's area of responsibility. Therefore, police action at hospitals, within a preventive context, is carried out both through awareness-raising activities for health professionals, where various safety tips are provided during face-to-face care, and during home visits by health professionals, as well as by reinforcing police visibility at hospital units.