Message from the President

The National Health Council was created in 2016 as an independent consultation body of the government in the definition of health policies, aiming to promote the engagement of several scientific, social, cultural and economic entities in reaching broad consensus regarding health policy.

The Council, on its own initiative or whenever requested by the government, has the responsibility to issue opinions and recommendations on matters related to health policy, namely the execution of the government’s program and the health governance model, the health of the Portuguese , the National Health Plan, health research and innovation; but the Council shall also promote public debate on health policy.

The Council has 30 members, including a President and a Vice-President appointed by the government, representatives of health care users appointed by the Parliament, representatives from each health-related Professional Association, from Local Authorities, from the Council of Rectors, from the Polytechnic Institutes, from the governments of Azores and Madeira, from the Standing Committee on Social Dialogue, from the National Council for Social Economy, and from the National Ethics Council for the Life Sciences.

These broad powers are embraced by the Council, aiming that the ideals of citizenship, participation and consensus-seeking, rather than rhetorical statements, become real and effective. We wish the National Health Council is able to translate these ideals into concrete achievements that meet people’s needs, in particular those of the most vulnerable citizens.

Jorge Simões
President of the National Health Council