INEM technicians call for strikes over ambulance service changes

Emergency medical technicians in Portugal have issued a strike notice for September 14 and 28. The strike, organized by the Sindicato dos Técnicos de Emergência Pré-Hospitalar (STEPH), is a response to proposed measures by the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) that technicians claim will reduce emergency response capacity.

Key demands from the union include abandoning plans to convert Immediate Life Support (SIV) ambulances into light vehicles, a move they argue reduces patient transport capacity. They also demand the maintenance of all 56 current Emergency Ambulances (AEM) and a commitment from the government to expand the AEM network to include at least two ambulances in every municipality currently lacking them by the end of 2027.

Additionally, technicians are seeking regulation regarding the coordination between SIV ambulances and partner services, such as firefighters and the Red Cross. They propose that patients requiring medical supervision be transported in SIVs with a technician and nurse, while those not requiring such care should be moved by partner ambulances to keep SIVs available for critical cases.