The Coimbra Declaration 2026 establishes five commitments to improve professionals' working conditions and the sustainability of healthcare systems, calling for action from the Government, organizations, and leaders. Promoted by the Order of Portuguese Psychologists (OPP) with the support of the Coimbra Local Health Unit (ULS), the initiative aims to ensure that the care for the health and well-being of professionals is an explicit priority in the governance of healthcare systems.
The Dean of the OPP, Sofia Ramalho, stated that the declaration stems from the conviction that "we cannot continue to discuss the sustainability of healthcare systems without discussing the sustainability of the people themselves." Francisco Maio de Matos, President of the Board of Directors of ULS de Coimbra, highlighted that the declaration "translates an ambition into a concrete agenda" and proposes that the well-being of professionals be an explicit part of the governance, quality, and sustainability of healthcare systems.
The five commitments include integrating professionals' health into governance, knowing and monitoring working conditions, preventing through work organization and transformation, developing healthy leadership, and transforming evidence into responsibility and action. The declaration advocates for regular assessment of psychosocial risks, workload, autonomy, resources, leadership, recognition, and work-life balance.
The document also addresses digital transformations and Artificial Intelligence, advocating for the participation of professionals in their implementation and the assessment of impacts on workload and safety. The Declaration directs recommendations to the Government, governance entities, organizations, leaders, and academic institutions, calling for the recognition of professionals' health and sustainability as strategic priorities.
