Right to healthcare. Access. Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. National Healthcare System Service.

Authors

  • Alexandre Morais Nunes CAPP - Centro de Administração em Políticas Públicas http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6808-7769
  • Rosa Raposeiro Ministério da Saúde Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Lisboa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1980-511X.2019v14n3p35

Keywords:

Right to healthcare. Access. Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. National Healthcare System Service.

Abstract

In Portugal, the right to healthcare is enshrined in Article 64 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, which, in its original form, is implemented through the enforcement of a national healthcare service and conditions (social, health, economic and cultural) that covers every citizen and contributes to the general improvement of living and working conditions. At the current level of healthcare delivery, the creation of the National Healthcare System (NHS) in 1979 was a major step in guaranteeing healthcare universally (for all), generally (all specialties) and free of cost. The purpose of this paper is to describe, through the exploration of published legislation and literature on this topic, the path of the right to healthcare from 1976 to present day, whilst considering various constitutional revisions and the creation of the NHS.

Author Biographies

Alexandre Morais Nunes, CAPP - Centro de Administração em Políticas Públicas

Doutor em Administração da Saúde

Rosa Raposeiro, Ministério da Saúde Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Lisboa

Licenciada em Direito
Jurista no Ministério da Saúde
Adjunta do Gabinete do Ministro

Published

2019-12-31

How to Cite

Nunes, A. M., & Raposeiro, R. (2019). Right to healthcare. Access. Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. National Healthcare System Service. Revista Do Direito Público, 14(3), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.5433/1980-511X.2019v14n3p35

Issue

Section

Artigos