Public, Universal and Tendentially to be Free: A Reflection about the Public Health System

Abstract

The Portuguese National Health Service is based on three essential pillars that allows the entire population to have access to health. However, in recent years we have been witnessing its constant reformulation and degradation, not only of the system but also of its professionals. Today we are more busy finding quick answers to colossal problems, which become clear with each new challenge, than protecting the health of patients and professionals. In addition to the poor management of health care in general, we are watching a deterioration of the emergency services that provide the first response to many patients.
We are also perpetuating an environment of catastrophe in the training of junior doctors, who go through these services during their training. They are received as extra labor, which supports part of these services, unaccompanied, without experience in emergency services and without any mentoring.
This article highlights this first-person experience and alerts to the way we have been allowing medicine to be practiced in the public service, which compromises the health of its users as well as its professionals.