Government admits possible transition phase to integrate service-provider doctors without specialty into the SNS

The Ministry of Health and the Association of Service-Providing Doctors (AMPS) discussed creating a transition phase to help doctors currently working as service providers (prestadores de serviço) without a medical specialty join the National Health Service (SNS) permanent staff. The government clarified that it cannot unilaterally grant specialty titles, as this requires coordination with the Portuguese Medical Association (Ordem dos Médicos), but expressed an intention to stabilize medical teams and integrate these doctors while respecting legal, regulatory, and quality requirements.