Waiting for continuing care beds in Greater Lisbon reaches up to a year

Waits of up to a year in Greater Lisbon

The Health Regulatory Authority (ERS) annual monitoring report on the national network of integrated continuing care (RNCCI) counts 1,937 people waiting for a place at the end of 2025, a figure cited by the national association of continuing care providers (some outlets rounded it to almost 2,000). That total is 8% higher than the year before. More than 700 of those waiting were looking for a bed in a long-duration unit, while 522 were waiting for home care, a number similar to the previous year. The longest delays are in Greater Lisbon, where the time between referral and placement in a Long-Duration and Maintenance Unit (ULDM), which cares for people with chronic illnesses and varying levels of dependence who cannot be cared for at home, reached 369 days. The report also counts 251 people waiting for a place in these long-duration responses.

All care types, end of 20251,937

Home care, end of 2025522

All care types, end of 2025

1937 people

Home care, end of 2025

522 people

Data from the article text

Closed beds and stalled projects

The association, through its president José Bourdain, said the shortage has worsened, especially in Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, and that only the North and Centre regions have seen improvements. Bourdain spoke to Lusa about the ERS report, which Público had published. He said the government could bring closed beds back into the network by paying a fair price for them.

“Things have got worse, especially in Lisbon and the Tagus Valley.”

The association's September data showed more than 750 beds closed in continuing care units over the past five years, 260 of them this year. It links the recent shortfall to projects that applied for Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) funding but missed deadlines and were left out of the plan's budget. The government had approved a financing line of up to 200 million euros to finish PRR works that were not completed on time, but Bourdain said he was not aware of any progress for continuing care.

Calls for the government to act

Bourdain urged the government to use approved PRR applications that stalled, funding them with the state budget, Portugal 2030 or proceeds from the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa lottery, which he said has long financed social equipment in health. He framed the matter as one of political choice.

“It is a question of political will.”

Mental health care and home care

The ERS report does not detail data on integrated continuing care for mental health, but it notes that 70 new places were created while the number of units fell. Waiting figures for home care, at 522 people, were close to those of the previous year, so the report shows no major change in that service.