"I do not think that the results of this parliamentary term, which is not yet over, give any indication of wasted time.

We needed to recover investment in the NHS and make changes, such as in primary health care, which take time to become visible to the public.

Future spring reports will show that the way towards long-term gains has been initiated”.

The minister admitted that inequalities still persist in the NHS, but argued that work has been done to improve the distribution of human resources in primary health care to reduce the number of Portuguese without a family GP.

Recruitment of more Portuguese GPs is underway and by the end of the legislature the Government hopes that there will be around 300,000 people without an assigned GP.

Asked if she would be willing to continue as health minister in a future PS government, Marta Temido was non-committal although she did not reject the idea.