INEM intends to decentralize CODU to attract professionals

Sérgio Dias Janeiro stated that INEM intends to create conditions to have decentralized service points in some locations, "whether through teleworking conditions, or also by taking advantage of operational bases", "which can complement what is already done in the centralized CODUs" that exist in Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon and Loulé.

The President of the INEM Board of Directors announced this intention during the signing ceremony of the loan agreement with the Leiria City Council for the installation of the operational base of the medical emergency ambulance in the former Parceiros health center.

These mini-CODUs may have "two or three operators who can do this work without having to travel, in this case to Coimbra."

These stations will be part of the Integrated Medical Emergency System. "The CODU operates nationwide. That is, every time the PSP's 112 center forwards a call to the CODU, the pre-hospital emergency technician answers the call, regardless of their location in the country," he explained.

The added value for INEM would be bringing professionals closer to their place of residence. "By demonstrating a genuine intention to create conditions for professionals to do their work as close to home as possible, we naturally have a greater chance of successful recruitment," he argued.

For professionals already working at INEM, it is also beneficial, as it "could potentially reduce the need for home-work and work-home travel."

Sérgio Dias Janeiro did not announce a date for the project to move forward, but emphasized that the goal is for it to be "as quickly as possible, with all the constraints related to public procurement, whether of people or equipment."

The president of INEM also highlighted the "budgetary issues", which "must be very well managed".

"I can't commit to a date at this stage, but I can assure you that I'm very impatient and I like to feel like things are going to happen," he promised.

The operational base of the medical emergency ambulance, temporarily installed at the Leiria Fire Brigade headquarters, will move to the former Parceiros health center.

Leiria City Council Mayor Gonçalo Lopes considered it a good option to use a "vacant building to locate this INEM post and create conditions for its professionals to quickly dispatch resources, while also providing them with the comfort to perform their duties."

The mayor also highlighted the "extraordinary location for INEM's objectives, which is to provide a rapid response to save lives."

In a written response sent to the Lusa news agency in April, the Institute stated that, in October 2023, "the INEM Leiria medical emergency ambulance changed its operational base to the Companhia de Bombeiros Sapadores", given that "the hospital base no longer meets the necessary conditions for use by this team, currently composed of eight pre-hospital emergency technicians".

"This INEM operational base will now move to the former Parceiros health center, through a partnership established between INEM and Leiria City Council, with the aim of providing all the necessary working conditions for this team," INEM explained.

On the other hand, it now has "faster access to traffic routes that allow it to reach different areas of the emergency service's operating area in less time."

Photo: Bruno Filipe Pires