Spain and Portugal overhaul emergency medical services with contrasting strategies

Two neighbors, two visions for saving lives. While Spain’s public system stays in control, Portugal bets on hospitals and private partnerships—will speed or efficiency win?

, and ASMedia

2025 December 11 . 11:13 AM

1 min read

This image is clicked on the roads. To the left, there is ambulance. To the right, there is a tent... — This image is clicked on the roads. To the left, there is ambulance. To the right, there is a tent under which many people are standing. There is also table and chair in the right of the image.

Spain and Portugal overhaul emergency medical services with contrasting strategies

Spain and Portugal are reviewing how their emergency medical services operate. In Spain, a centralised system ensures rapid response, while Portugal prepares to reveal a major restructuring of its pre-hospital care. Both countries rely on a mix of public and private resources—but with key differences in how they manage emergencies.

In Spain, all emergency dispatch and pre-hospital care fall under SAMUR, the public emergency service. This includes regions where private healthcare plays a larger role. Private ambulances support the system but do not handle emergency calls directly. Instead, they assist with non-urgent transport and work under SAMUR’s coordination. Firefighters may step in only as a last resort when no other transport is available.

The two countries show different strategies for emergency care. Spain’s centralised model keeps SAMUR in charge, while Portugal moves toward hospital integration and private training partnerships. The coming weeks will clarify how Portugal’s reforms will affect response times and service delivery.