Find out when to call Saúde 24 or INEM
Faced with a health problem, a doubt can arise: should I call Saúde 24 or 112? Knowing how to tell when to use each service makes all the difference in making sure you get the right help at the right time.
What is 112?
112 is the European emergency number and should be used exclusively in serious situations that pose an imminent danger to life or require urgent medical assistance. In Portugal, it is INEM (Portugal''s emergency medical service – Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica) that receives and manages these calls, sending the appropriate emergency resources, such as ambulances or medical vehicles.
When should you call 112?
You should call 112 whenever you are faced with a situation that puts someone''s life at risk or requires immediate help. Some examples:
- Altered state of consciousness or fainting
- Suspected stroke (difficulty speaking, asymmetrical smile, weakness on one side of the body)
- Severe breathing difficulty
- Choking that does not clear after attempting to remove the obstruction
- Serious accidents with injuries
- Intense chest pain, a sign of a possible heart attack
- Uncontrollable or very heavy bleeding
- Serious burns or burns to sensitive areas of the body.
How to act when calling 112?
- Stay calm and describe the situation clearly
- Give the exact location where you are
- Answer all of the operator''s questions
- Only hang up when you are told to.
What is Saúde 24?
The Saúde 24 (808 24 24 24) line is a telephone service for triage and medical advice, available 24 hours a day, for non-emergency situations. Through this service, healthcare professionals assess the symptoms and provide guidance on the next steps to take, possibly recommending self-care, referring you to a health centre or, if necessary, to an emergency department.
When should you call Saúde 24?
If the situation is not serious, but you need medical advice, Saúde 24 can help. Examples of situations in which you should call:
- Persistent fever, with no other serious symptoms
- Persistent cough or flu-like symptoms
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea without signs of severe dehydration
- Mild to moderate pain (throat, ears, stomach, head)
- Minor allergic reactions or skin changes
- Small cuts or wounds without heavy bleeding
- Slight changes in blood pressure, with no other associated symptoms
- Persistent crying in a child with no apparent reason.
Advantages of calling Saúde 24
- Immediate medical advice without the need to travel
- Appropriate referral to the right level of care (self-care, health centre or emergency department)
- Available 24 hours a day, every day of the year
- Avoiding unnecessary trips to A&E, reducing waiting times at hospitals
- Support in various areas, including questions about symptoms, medication and vaccination.
How to act when calling Saúde 24
- Have your SNS (the Portuguese National Health Service) patient number, name and date of birth to hand
- Describe the symptoms and say how long ago they appeared
- Follow the healthcare professionals'' recommendations.
If the Saúde 24 team realises that the situation may be more serious than it seemed, the call can be forwarded directly to INEM, ensuring the necessary emergency help.
112 or Saúde 24? So which number should I choose?
What happens if you call the wrong number?
If you call 112 with a non-urgent health problem, the call will not be a priority and may end up overloading the emergency line, delaying the handling of genuinely serious cases. The operators may redirect you to Saúde 24, but this means unnecessary time that can be avoided by choosing the right number from the outset.
On the other hand, if you call Saúde 24 in a critical situation, the healthcare professionals can identify the seriousness of the case and transfer the call to INEM. But note that this step delays the dispatch of help by a few minutes, which can be crucial in emergencies such as a stroke or cardiorespiratory arrest.
Other important contacts
- Poison Information Centre (CIAV – Centro de Informação Antivenenos) – 800 250 250: support in cases of poisoning, available 24 hours a day
- SNS 24 Psychological Support Line – 808 24 24 24 (Option 4): psychological support for emotional crises and mental health problems, with specialised and confidential care
- National Social Emergency Line (LNES – Linha Nacional de Emergência Social) – 144: support for victims of domestic violence, homeless people and other social emergencies. Service available 24 hours a day
- SOS Child Line (SOS Criança) – 116 111: support for children at risk or in an emergency situation. Free and confidential service
- SOS Voz Amiga Line – 213 544 545 | 912 802 669 | 963 524 660: emotional support for people facing loneliness, anxiety or depression, with anonymous and confidential care
- Senior Citizen Line (Linha do Cidadão Idoso) – 800 203 531: support for older people in situations of vulnerability or mistreatment, with free and confidential care.
Count on Ambula!
If you need transport to a healthcare facility and the situation does not require calling 112, we offer a non-emergency ambulance service and ensure a safe, comfortable journey with specialised support. Count on Ambula for efficient transport whenever you need it!
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