# Portuguese Hospitals Suspend Non-Urgent Care Due to Severe Weather Alerts Health units reschedule elective procedures and consultations to ensure safety during extreme weather conditions. - **Source:** [Público](https://www.publico.pt) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [health](https://brifing.si/c/health) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/407c85be-025a-49d1-bed4-c502cb0d0f7b ## Proactive Service Suspension Multiple Local Health Units across Portugal have suspended non-urgent consultations and elective surgeries scheduled for Wednesday. This decision follows a government-declared alert due to forecasts of heavy rain and strong winds. The primary objective is to protect patients and staff from unnecessary travel risks during the severe weather event. ## Strategic Operational Adjustments The Executive Directorate of the National Health Service coordinated with the Ministry of Health to ensure continuity of care. Individual health units are evaluating local conditions to implement specific safety measures. While elective procedures are paused, urgent clinical services and emergency departments remain fully operational to handle critical patient needs. ## Focus on Essential Care Health units like ULS Leiria and ULS Coimbra are prioritizing essential and clinically urgent treatments. Oncology, cardiothoracic surgery, and dialysis services are maintained to prevent patient harm. Many institutions are converting routine appointments into teleconsultations to minimize physical movement while ensuring that patients still receive necessary medical guidance and support. ## Regional Implementation Variations Different regions are adopting tailored responses based on local risk assessments. In the Guarda region, some laboratory collection points are closed, while others remain open. Meanwhile, ULS Gaia/Espinho has cancelled all scheduled consultations and exams. These measures are designed to balance safety requirements with the ongoing need for essential healthcare delivery. ## Primary Care Continuity Primary health centers are maintaining limited operations to address acute illnesses. In many districts, non-essential home visits and routine nursing appointments are being rescheduled. Staff are concentrating resources at headquarters to ensure that patients requiring immediate attention can still access care despite the challenging environmental conditions affecting the country. ## Pharmacy Crisis Management The National Association of Pharmacies has activated a crisis cabinet to support local outlets. Pharmacies are implementing preventive measures, including clearing drainage systems and securing outdoor equipment against potential flooding. These steps aim to keep essential medication supplies accessible and ensure that pharmacies remain functional during the predicted storm impacts. ## Communication and Rescheduling Patients affected by cancellations are being notified directly by their respective health units. Institutions like ULS Lezíria have already set rescheduling windows, with some hospital consultations postponed until November 16. Authorities emphasize that these measures are temporary and intended to safeguard the health system's capacity for handling genuine medical emergencies. ## Systemic Resilience Assessment This widespread operational shift highlights the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure to extreme weather events. By proactively reducing non-essential traffic, the health system aims to prevent service collapse. The effectiveness of these measures will be evaluated post-storm, providing insights for future emergency planning and the resilience of national health networks. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.publico.pt/2026/11/10/sociedade/noticia/evitar-riscos-desnecessarios-focar-urgencias-varios-hospitais-suspendem-consultas-cirurgias-2194494 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._