Changes start for the INEM emergency helicopter service in Portugal
From 1 January 2024, two of the four medical emergency helicopters serving INEM will undergo a reduction in hours from 24 to 12 hours, with the aircraft remaining 100 per cent operational during the day.
At helicopter bases with reduced hours at night, INEM will maintain an Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) and respective medical team in operation.
At the beginning of 2023, the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) issued a preliminary market consultation with the aim of ascertaining the interest of potential economic operators in the new public contract intended for the acquisition of services for the provision, rental, maintenance and operation of air assets by INEM for the period 2024 to 2028. This consultation aimed to listen to the market to determine the average prices charged and, in this way, to be able to establish the base price of the contractual procedure.
Labor dispute limits hours of operation
After the publication of the Resolution of the Council of Ministers authorizing the expense for the period referred to, INEM carried out a new market consultation to maintain the service while the tender procedure is ongoing. They received a response from only two operators, of which only Avincis would be able to guarantee the operation of a system comprising four helicopters, from January 2024, respecting the amount authorized for this expense. However, as a result of the labor dispute with the pilots arising from legal issues related to the limit of pilots' service hours, the company is unable to immediately guarantee the roster of pilots to operate the four helicopters 24 hours a day.
It is therefore necessary to reduce the operating time of two helicopters. Looking at the situation and the coverage capacity of the continental territory, INEM chose to apply the hourly reduction on helicopters operating from Viseu and Évora, only at night, when the aircraft have a smaller number of cases and are not always able to operate. During these periods, the respective medical teams will ensure the operability of two Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicles (VMER). The other two helicopters, based in Macedo de Cavaleiros and Loulé, will maintain their operation 24/24 hours.
INEM will monitor, as usual, the activity of the Emergency Medical Helicopter Service and make any adjustments that prove necessary in order to optimize the performance of the service.