College Transformation into Healthcare Facility
Portalegre Health Campus: Renovating for a Healthier Future
The town of Portalegre is set to undergo a significant transformation with the development of the Portalegre Health Campus. The project, which involves the renovation of the old college building, aims to enhance healthcare infrastructure in the district.
The feasibility study for the project covers all stages, including the centralization of healthcare services, ensuring a comprehensive overhaul of the town's healthcare system. The project timeline indicates that geophysical inspection work is expected to start in the last quarter of 2025, followed by further studies.
The acquisition of the college, which covers an area of approximately 3.5 hectares, will cost €2.5 million and be funded by the State Budget. The initial bidding process was re-launched due to high proposals, and the municipal government is prepared to bid at a higher price to accommodate this. The deadline for bid submissions was set for September 3, 2025, and the completion deadline has been shortened from eight months to six months, indicating an accelerated schedule.
The first phase of the rehabilitation of the Santo António School will focus on improving outpatient care. The outpatient services, the entire ophthalmology unit, the cardiology unit, the pulmonology unit, and the physiotherapy service will be relocated from the Portalegre hospital to the new health campus.
The second phase of the project will involve the centralization of healthcare services currently located elsewhere in the city. The Portalegre Health Centre, the pulmonology diagnostic centre, the public health department, the public health laboratory, and other services will be concentrated on the health campus.
The renovation and construction of the Portalegre Health Campus are expected to cost an additional 40 million euros, beyond the initial acquisition cost. The ULSAA plans to free up space at the Portalegre hospital by rehabilitating areas to expand the emergency department, the clinical analysis laboratory, the imaging service, and other departments.
According to Miguel Lopes, if everything goes as planned, the Portalegre Health Campus project should be completed in 2029. The goal is to centralize the entire healthcare infrastructure, from public health to palliative care, in the current space of the Doutor José Maria Grande Hospital (Portalegre Hospital) and the school.
The ULSAA's plans for the Portalegre Health Campus aim to improve the efficiency of services provided and benefit the community. A feasibility study is being conducted to ensure the project benefits the community and the efficiency of services provided. The renovation of the Santo António School area is part of a larger plan to centralize healthcare infrastructure in the city.
The ULSAA is in the pre-signature phase of a deal to purchase the former Diocesan College of Santo António from the Diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco. After renovation and construction, the college will be developed into the "Portalegre Health Campus". The project is publicly funded and under municipal management.
In summary, the Portalegre Health Campus project is a comprehensive initiative to renovate the old college building into a new health campus. The project involves an investment of 44.5 million euros, with the acquisition cost of the college being €2.5 million. The first phase of the rehabilitation will prioritize outpatient services, while the second phase will involve the centralization of healthcare services currently located elsewhere in the city. The project is expected to be completed in 2029, improving the efficiency of services provided and benefiting the community.
The renovated Portalegre Health Campus, with a projected completion date in 2029, will not only focus on medical-conditions and health-and-wellness but also serve as a hub for centralizing various healthcare services, such as the ULSAA's plans for the Portalegre Health Centre, the pulmonology diagnostic centre, and the public health laboratory, all being moved to the new health campus. This extensive project, costing 44.5 million euros, will additionally include news regarding the relocation of outpatient services, the ophthalmology unit, the cardiology unit, the pulmonology unit, and the physiotherapy service from the Portalegre hospital to the newly developed health campus.
