The Social Work Department of the Local Health Unit (ULS) of Santa Maria held its II Meeting on Thursday, October 15, under the theme “Building the Future with Actions that Transform”. At the opening session, Carlos das Neves Martins, President of the Board of Directors of ULS Santa Maria, highlighted innovation, proximity, and differentiation as strategic pillars to respond to societal transformations and adapt the work of social workers.
Carlos das Neves Martins emphasized that the constant evolution of longevity and progress in research require health institutions to do “more and better”. Addressing a nearly full Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, the President of ULS Santa Maria discussed changes in family and social dynamics, where many support roles have shifted to the State, increasing pressure on public health services and the challenge of delayed hospital discharges due to social needs.
To tackle these challenges, ULS Santa Maria is acting on two complementary fronts: external, through investment in proximity beds and direct coordination with partners like Social Security, Municipalities, and third-sector institutions; and internal, by strengthening home hospitalization, telemonitoring, and telemedicine.
Carlos das Neves Martins considered the social worker's role central to this transformation, describing their work as transversal, “starting in hospital emergencies and ending at the citizen’s home”. He advocated for the provision of support tools and technologies, but assured that “such innovation can never replace direct contact with the citizen or humanism, which is the true essence of the social work profession”.
The Opening Session also included Rita Molinar, Clinical Director of Primary Healthcare at ULS Santa Maria, and Susana Alexandre, Director of Social Work. Susana Alexandre highlighted the importance of preserving the human dimension and listening time, even with innovation and artificial intelligence. She called for actions guided by critical thinking and the ambition to actively build the future of the profession.
At the closing, Ana Isabel Lopes, clinical director for Hospital Care at ULSSM, revisited the theme of differentiation and humanization, stating that “it is undeniable that Social Work will have exponential protagonism in the future”. She also expressed recognition and gratitude to the teams, emphasizing that the future of Social Work will mirror societal evolution, playing an increasingly relevant role in promoting more humanized, close, and person-centered care.
This day of reflection and debate reaffirmed the importance of Social Work in developing closer, more human, integrated, and needs-sensitive responses, reinforcing the collective commitment to a future where humanization is always a priority.
