BillBullock

Looking at other threads and posts, there is clearly much variation from one area of Portugal to another. For the last 6 months, I have been experimenting with the SNS health system rather than paying to go privately. My Centro do Saude is in Olhão and my wife and I have been allocated to a doctor. It took 2 months to get my first appointment, and the follow-up visit to discuss the results of tests followed on 2 months later when I could get the next and earliest appointment. I immediately made my third appointment and a first appointment for my wife and had another 6 weeks to wait. So far so good. Then the appointments were cancelled the day before the due date, so we made another appointment and that was for today. This morning we got another phone call from the Centro do Saude cancelling our appointments again and were told to book again online. Surprise, surprise, the next available date is in June, nearly 3 months from now. It's a good job we are not seriously ill for our age, 79 and 77.
My wife's sister and husband live in the Tavira area and have no problem getting timely appointments. Perhaps we should have settled there in our retirement. Friends back in the UK are amazed that our local health centre is worse than their NHS centre. Is anyone else experiencing similar problems getting seen by a SNS doctor?

ouriquejan

Here in Ourique, we have similar problems, making an appointment.

However, they have a system whereby you either turn up at 8.00 in the morning or ring at that time and you can - hopefully - get an appointment for that afternoon.

In reality, it's best to get there about 7.30 and wait.

In Fuzeta, we had a similar system, where you could see a load of people outside the centro de saude from 6.30 in the morning, for an appointment that morning.

I have used urgençia in Olhao and found them very helpful, but that was years ago now.

Maybe ask what system they have in Olhao now?

BillBullock

When I asked my doctor what the system was in the Centro do Saude, she said that for urgent treatment, you turn up at 8 am and join the queue to see any doctor who is available. Otherwise you make an appointment to see your doctor in the afternoon. My problems are not urgent so I will have to wait until 6 June to see my doctor, assuming the appointment is not cancelled again on the day.

GrahamF

We're registered with doctor at Alges near Lisbon, our official address, about 2 months wait unless urgent. Went to Faro Centro do Saude last year and I was refused appointment to see doctor as not deemed urgent. Was told I could go to Faro hospital emergency (16 hour wait at that time) or minor emergencies at Loule so chose the latter and was seen within half an hour.

BillBullock

Just tried to change my wife's appointment on 6 June online to discover that she is no longer registered at the Olhão Centro do Saude! But she was registered with a doctor yesterday even though her appointment was cancelled and we were able to book the appointment in June. What a nonsense!

BillBullock

Update. We went to our Centro do Saude in Olhão after the Easter weekend and found our way to the administrative offices. There we found the very lovely Gabriela and she corrected the error. Now my wife is registered again and with the same doctor. Goodness knows who deregistered my wife but it was easily corrected.