Official data reveal that the deficit of the National Health Service (SNS) almost doubled until May compared to the same period in 2024, reaching a hole of €465 million, reflecting a worsening of €312.4 million compared to the previous year. This result is mainly due to the increase in personnel costs (growth of 13.6%) and the pressure exerted by inflation on medical supplies.

The growth in spending on human resources, partly due to salary updates and partly due to extraordinary hiring in a post-pandemic context, is the main factor in the budgetary deterioration of the SUS. At the same time, operating costs have soared due to the rise in the prices of energy, services and hospital maintenance.

The situation is a cause for concern for healthcare professionals and hospital managers, who warn of the risk of compromising the quality and effectiveness of the services provided. Without additional containment measures, public funding may be insufficient to cover emerging needs, especially in critical specialties.

The government has already admitted to reviewing its forecasts for the public deficit and highlights the urgent need to promote reforms in the healthcare sector, including better financial planning, spending control and investment in digitalization and hospital management.