Local Health Unit of Matosinhos

The Local Health Unit of Matosinhos was established in 1999, integrating Hospital Pedro Hispano and the Health Centers of Matosinhos, Senhora da Hora, Leça da Palmeira, and São Mamede Infesta, aiming to provide care to the population of Matosinhos. Since 2007, it has also included a short-term Convalescence Unit and, within the scope of Public Health, the Sanitation and Borders Center. It constitutes a national reference in the integration of primary, hospital, and continuous care.

ULSM's main objective is the provision of healthcare services to all citizens, including: users of the National Health Service (NHS); external entities that contract healthcare services with it; foreign citizens who are non-residents under national and international legislation in force. ULSM also aims to: Ensure the activities of operative public health services and the necessary means for the exercise of the health authority's powers within its geographical area; Develop research, training, and teaching activities, with its participation in the training of health professionals depending on its formative capacity, which may be subject to program contracts defining the respective forms of funding.

ULSM's mission is to promote health based on identifying the community's needs, ensuring access to integrated, preventive, personalized, humanized, technically, scientifically, and relationally excellent healthcare throughout the life cycle, fostering a strong sense of commitment and trust among employees and users.

Created in 2014, with the mission of supporting and promoting clinical research at the Local Health Unit of Matosinhos, the Clinical Trials Center, operating at Hospital Pedro Hispano, stemmed from a collaboration protocol signed with Blueclinical, following the publication of the Clinical Research Law, which represented an opportunity to frame the promotion of this activity. This Research Service aims to foster clinical research in all its aspects by creating conditions for its execution. Thus, ULSM considers this area crucial for numerous reasons. On one hand, for professionals, it constitutes an additional factor of involvement in the development of medicines and medical devices, allowing them to expand their knowledge and training; on the other hand, it enables ULSM users to access innovative therapies and new health technologies that can meet their needs, contributing to the Unit's aim of providing excellent service to its community. It also facilitates access to cutting-edge scientific knowledge and the adoption of best practices in patient care, creating higher-quality data to support decision-making in health.