Nurses working in the adult emergency department at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça have warned that the current workload prevents them from guaranteeing safe and quality care. In late January 2026, dozens of nurses sent escusa de responsabilidade declarations to SESARAM, the Madeira Health Service, and also informed hospital management and professional bodies about the situation. The complaints reflect ongoing pressure in emergency care, where demand often exceeds available space and staff capacity. In a statement published on 30 January 2026, SESARAM said it understood the fatigue expressed by the nurses and described emergency care as demanding and urgent by nature. The service added that it considers the well-being and working conditions of its professionals a priority, while noting that patient flow is often affected by factors outside immediate clinical control. On 1 February 2026, SESARAM’s president told RTP Madeira that 16 new nurses will be hired during February and that two more are expected by the end of the first quarter. SESARAM also said the emergency department currently has 115 nurses, with eight nurses from other hospital units temporarily supporting the service, and that delayed discharges keep about 230 patients in hospital beds awaiting social support or follow-up care units.
