The Regional Secretary for Health highlighted in Angra do Heroísmo the importance of accessibility to the Regional Health Service, noting the solutions presented by his department in this area.
 
"This was an extremely important theme proposed by partners, for which we have been presenting some solutions, namely the recent General Regulation on the Movement of Patients under the Regional Health. It regulates the whole movement of patients to hospitals, but also of health professionals," said Rui Luís. The government official spoke on the sidelines of the meeting of the Regional Health Council.
 
Rui Luís stressed that the way each Azorean has access to health is "the core" of the Regional Health Service.
 
This meeting, the third in the current legislative period, also included the presentation of the results of the first meeting held by the Forum on Alcohol and Health to which 36 entities have already joined under the Action Plan for the Reduction of Alcohol-Related Problems.
 
"Many members of the council are also members of the forum and, therefore, it was important to discuss the contributions that each may provide to this matter," said the Secretary for Health.
 
Moreover, the agenda also included the presentation of the actions already implemented and to be implemented in the next two years within the scope of the Regional Strategy to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion in health as well as in the prevention and control of dependencies.
 
Rui Luís stressed the relevant role of this advisory body for political decisions in the health sector, noting that "political decisions are further enriched when shared with these partners, who are on the ground and have a much closer knowledge on the reality in the health sector."
 
The Regional Health Council, chaired by the Regional Secretary for Health, is composed of 26 members, including representatives of professional associations, unions, patients' and consumers' associations, media, "Santa Casa da Misericódia" institutions and the University of the Azores.
 
Established in 2010, the Regional Health Council is responsible for making proposals and recommendations as well as for issuing opinions on matters related to health and the fight against dependencies, namely the approval of plans and programmes.