The NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH) participated in the 2025 Annual Event of Local Health Units, part of the IMPULSO project, through the involvement of Ana Rita Goes, NOVA NSPH faculty member and head of ACAD – Academy for the Empowerment of Patient Associations, in a panel dedicated to strategic reflection on the future of the National Health Service.
The discussion panel, entitled “From Evidence to Practice – Future Strategies for Local Health Units”, brought together national and international decision-makers, health managers and institutional representatives, in a debate focused on transformative opportunities to improve health and equity in Portugal over the coming decades.
In her intervention, Ana Rita Goes emphasised the importance of placing people at the centre of the design and implementation of health policies, advocating for a more participatory and inclusive approach to healthcare organisation. She highlighted the work carried out by ACAD, an initiative focused on empowering patient associations, strengthening their health literacy, their capacity for informed participation, and their engagement in decision-making processes.
According to Ana Rita Goes, listening to and involving patients is not only a matter of equity but an essential condition for building more effective, sustainable health systems that respond to the real needs of populations. She further stressed that integrating the perspective of citizens and patients is crucial for the success of Local Health Units, particularly in a context of organisational transformation and increasing complexity of health challenges.
The panel also featured the Executive Director of the NHS, the Director-General of Health, leaders from several Local Health Units, as well as international organisations such as the World Health Organization and the European Commission, fostering a plural debate on leadership, governance, innovation, and citizen engagement.
NOVA NSPH’s participation in this event reinforces its active role in strategic reflection on the future of the Portuguese health system, as well as its commitment to promoting governance models that are more participatory, people-centred, and grounded in scientific evidence.
