SNS Systems Affected by Power Failure "Practically All Operational"

Information systems and services within Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) that were disrupted by a power failure on Friday are now largely back online, the entity managing the services confirmed. The restoration process was ongoing throughout the day.

A spokesperson for the Shared Services of the Ministry of Health (SPMS) stated that "throughout the day, the services and systems were progressively restored, and at this moment, practically all are operational." This indicates a significant recovery after the morning's disruptions.

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Throughout the day, the services and systems were progressively restored, and at this moment, practically all are operational.

Crucially, the issuance of prescriptions and dispensing of medications at pharmacies were consistently maintained. The SPMS noted that existing regulations, specifically Portaria n.º 224/2015, allow for exceptional manual prescription and dispensing procedures when electronic systems are unavailable. This contingency ensured that patients could still access necessary medications.

The SPMS is also implementing measures to enhance system resilience. A secondary hub for its central infrastructure is planned for completion by the end of the year to provide greater redundancy and ensure continuous availability of its systems. The power failure had affected access to various SNS information systems supporting healthcare activities, including access to clinical records, prescription services, and examination requests, as reported by the Independent Medical Union (SIM).

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The issuance of prescriptions and dispensing of medications at pharmacies was always guaranteed, as in these situations, Portaria n.º 224/2015... provides that the prescription of medicines may exceptionally be done manually.