Portugal's disability certification crisis leaves 95,400 patients waiting in limbo

Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS) is struggling with a backlog of disability certification requests. Over 95,400 cases remain pending, leaving many patients waiting for essential assessments. Despite efforts to speed up the process, delays continue to cause frustration. The SNS executive board has taken steps to reduce the growing queue. Additional staff have been assigned to medical boards to handle the workload more efficiently. However, the response still fails to meet current demand.

Under Portuguese law, medical boards must complete assessments within 60 days. Yet, many patients face far longer waits—especially for disability reassessments, which often take over a year. Those with a disability rating of 60% or higher qualify for benefits, but prolonged delays leave them in limbo.

The SNS has strengthened its teams to tackle the backlog. Still, thousands of patients remain unassessed, with no immediate solution in sight. The system’s ability to meet legal deadlines remains under pressure as requests continue to pile up.