Hospital CUF Faro

I went to the physiatry appointment with my daughter in Gambelas, and when I got to the entrance, the lady at the ticket machine told me it wasn't there but in Faro at the new facilities. I went to that place, got… there, and they told me it was in Gambelas 🙄 so it started badly there. I went back to Gambelas again for the pediatric appointment. My daughter was seen right away (we arrived 6 minutes late). The doctor ordered an X-ray and told me to come back upstairs to see what was really wrong with my daughter. So far, so good. We did the X-ray, but there was an error on the insurance platform. I paid €81 for the X-ray, but it had to be resolved because with insurance it would be very expensive for an X-ray. They called the insurance company, etc., etc. It was more or less resolved. The X-ray was done, I went back upstairs, and they told me they had a message from the doctor for me. Since my daughter was the last one, the doctor was in a hurry and left, and said she would call me back later. 👀 In other words, I paid for a consultation where the doctor doesn't have an agreement with insurance companies, and I even had to call her halfway through (yes, because the call didn't come through). This is unacceptable for a private clinic where you pay a lot. More and more, healthcare is just a business.

Endless wait. APPALLING

I had surgery in January 2025 for a fractured ankle, performed by Dr. João Ricardo Soares. Six weeks after the operation, I was allowed to put 100% weight on the joint again. A few weeks later, I was able to run, jump,… walk, hike, work out at the gym, and mountain bike again. The joint was operated on very expertly, and therefore I have no further problems. I had a trimaloatrophic fracture, which is one of the most serious ankle injuries. In April 2026, I had the metal removed, again by Dr. João Ricardo Soares. This surgery was also performed very professionally, so that I was able to walk without crutches after just a few days. Everything was very well organized, and the communication with the administration was simply perfect. I am very satisfied with the treatment at the clinic in Gambelas.

We went here today with our 9 month old, and everything went very smoothly, consultation was good, the whole process went fast and price was reasonable. Compliments to the pediatrician and everyone involved. We were… helped without any prior appointment and fast. We received an official letter of diagnosis and treatment immediately, for the insurance, which will be no issue to get reimbursed.

The waiting time in the emergency room at this unit is terrible. If we choose private care, it's because we want quality service, including the waiting time. I certainly won't return in the future. I will choose another… option.

I waited 5 hours for an urgent appointment, but was not seen. I gave up and went to another hospital.

I want to register my complaint here: Yesterday, September 25, 2026, I needed to take my mother to the emergency room. I chose this unit because I thought it would be better and faster since it's private, but the… service at this hospital is inhumane. Leaving an 82-year-old woman waiting for more than five hours is unacceptable. They should be ashamed of having only one doctor in the emergency room of this hospital. Let it be clear that I have nothing to criticize about the doctor's competence and professionalism; she did her best in a great rush to respond to people, undoubtedly a great professional. For me, it was an experience I never imagined having in a private hospital. I should have gone to the Faro hospital instead.

I've been trying to call for days and no one answers. The service has worsened considerably and, I dare say, is almost on par with Faro Hospital in terms of waiting times and quality of care. A regrettable and simply… awful situation. It's unacceptable that a renowned private hospital, with the prices it charges, offers this level of service. When you pay for a private service of this nature, you expect efficient, professional service commensurate with the prices charged. A huge disappointment and a situation that, frankly, shouldn't happen.

In terms of the consultation, we were well attended to. The doctor ordered an exam and told us we would be contacted in the next few days, everything seemed fine. Four weeks have passed and nothing has happened. When I… call, they transfer me to the service department and hang up. I've done this four times already. In terms of telephone service, it's not good.

I am writing to formally complain about the emergency service at CUF Faro Hospital, with which I am deeply dissatisfied. This is the second time I have experienced a similar situation at this unit. On September 16th… (Wednesday), I went to the emergency room with my 11-month-old baby, who had been experiencing several worrying symptoms since Sunday: refusal to eat, not drinking milk or water, marked irritability, frequent crying, urine with a strong odor and a yellow-greenish color. My daughter was examined by Dr. Maira Guimarães, who concluded it was just a throat inflammation, prescribed ibuprofen every 8 hours, and discharged her without ordering any further tests. However, the symptoms remained unchanged. Given the lack of improvement, on September 18th (Friday) I had to seek a consultation with a pediatrician in Vila Real de Santo António, despite residing in Quarteira, implying another trip and additional costs. After clinical evaluation, the doctor considered that the symptoms were not consistent with just a throat inflammation, and requested urine tests, the result of which was positive for a significant urinary tract infection. My baby is now undergoing antibiotic treatment, as well as using additional medication for her throat. It is also important to mention that, due to this entire situation and the persistence of our daughter's symptoms, my husband had to miss two days of work, which further aggravated the impact of this situation on our family. In light of the above, I cannot understand how it is possible that, in an emergency room, an 11-month-old baby with such evident symptoms was discharged without a more careful evaluation or the performance of appropriate tests. Limiting the intervention to prescribing ibuprofen proved clearly insufficient and inadequate given the clinical picture presented. Furthermore, I paid €103 for the emergency room visit, without the problem being properly diagnosed or resolved, and I was forced to incur further costs to obtain the correct treatment. Therefore, I request a proper analysis of this situation, as well as reimbursement of the amount paid for the service provided, since it did not correspond to the adequate and expected healthcare. I await a prompt and clarifying response regarding this situation. Sincerely, Jhenifer Morotskoski de Godoi

The CUF Hospital in Gambelas should pay attention to the healthcare professionals who work there. I went to an appointment with a professional without any prior agreement, Dr. Jorge Portugal. Besides waiting 2:30h for… the appointment, I questioned the delay and he replied that he doesn't keep to schedules. The doctor had great difficulty hearing and a poor memory, which makes me think he shouldn't be working anymore. Asking €130 per appointment seems like complete robbery because I left in 15 minutes without any explanation. Whoever supervises these procedures should pay more attention. It's regrettable.

The last time we were at the hospital was on Tuesday. We were seen by an older doctor; unfortunately, I don't know her name. She didn't inform us beforehand that the COVID-19 test was expensive, and in the end, we were… forced to pay. I was completely shocked by this attitude and the lack of information. Furthermore, when my daughter vomited the fever syrup, they gave her a suppository and told us to insert it in the bathroom. But how are you supposed to insert a suppository into a child who is standing? Why weren't we offered a suitable space, like a bed in a treatment room, to do this safely and privately? Honestly, I was very disappointed and shocked by how we were treated. When you're in the hospital with a sick child, you expect a minimum of attention, guidance, and humanity. I am truly shocked by this type of medical care. We also waited two hours for the swab results. How is it possible to wait so long for tests? When we go to a private hospital, it's precisely because we expect faster service, especially when a child is sick. This was, without a doubt, the worst experience I've ever had with you!

Nurse Inês Paulo was exceptional on 8/9/26... in her service and care for patients and myself. Well done!

It was good, although I recognize that there are few staff members. Regarding the doctor who treated me, I give it 5 stars, and the nursing staff were tireless and competent. The facilities could be improved. However, I… don't regret it and I recommend it; I've been a CUF client for a long time.

It seems the new owner of the Algarve Private Hospital hasn't improved anything that was already there; quite the opposite. Since the name change, I've unfortunately had to go to the emergency room three times. Waiting… times are much worse, and there are far fewer staff on shift! The facilities are in much worse condition. It seems incredible, but it feels like they spent all the money acquiring the company and now this is the bare minimum. Then, when patients have foreign health insurance, they don't charge patients for an emergency consultation, which has a maximum price of €130, and then send the invoice to the insurance company for more than €500, in this case more than €700! Anyone with health insurance, especially foreign insurance, be very careful, because the limit is very, very, very easily reached!!!

I am writing to thank the doctor who was in the emergency room on the morning of June 18th. Thanks to him, I discovered what I had, and within two months I underwent surgery at Faro Hospital. Thanks to the examination… he performed, I discovered the cause of my symptoms; otherwise, I would have continued to downplay what I was feeling. Thank you very much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A word of immense gratitude to the entire CUF Faro team. ❤️ On July 18th, 2026, I experienced one of the most important and beautiful moments of my life here: the birth of my baby, via cesarean section,… assisted by my dear Dr. Viana, exactly as I had always wished. From the very first moment, I felt welcomed, safe, and very well cared for. The hospital facilities are excellent, but what truly makes the difference are the people. I want to express my very special thanks to all the nurses, who were absolutely incredible: caring, attentive, available, and always with a kind word and a smile. The entire medical, nursing, and support staff demonstrated enormous professionalism, but also a humanity and generosity that I will never forget. To Dr. Viana, a very special thank you for accompanying me through this very important stage and for helping everything happen exactly as I dreamed. ❤️ I leave CUF Faro with a full heart and immense gratitude for everyone who cared for me and my baby. We truly felt in good hands. Thank you for making such a special moment even more beautiful and peaceful. ❤️ I wholeheartedly recommend them!

A hospital of this size and with all the infrastructure it has should have procedures in place. People in a hospital are usually already going through problems and are vulnerable, and then you encounter simple… situations that even the staff can't handle. You look for information and there's none. The employees themselves feel embarrassed, so the advice is: urgently invest in procedures and training. People don't deserve to go through this again during such delicate moments.

Worst hospital that I will never ever recommend anyone to go there almost waited for more then 7 hour at urgency and the receptionist is not sure my turn will come

This place has become a circus. Brought my elderly father in for a hernia and we waited 4 hours without being seen too. 4 hrs is the same time it would’ve taken at the public hospital in Faro where we would not pay a… cent, so why would people come here and pay a premium ? He is 77, has had a bi-pass, has diabetes and still has to wait 4 hrs. I think these people are making too much money now and have stopped caring about patients and service. The receptionists are all incompetent and should be embarrassed of the poor service they give. On arrival, they should at least notify people how long the wait is going to be, but they don’t. Two hours in and we asked, how much longer?, they told us there is one person before my dad, but 1.5 hours later we were still waiting and there was still one person ahead of us. They’re under staffed and can’t cope, but they don’t tell anyone because they want you to wait so they can make the money. Honest people would’ve said - look, we really short staffed, if you can’t spend 3-4 hrs, go to the public hospital or another private hospital. When we later complained, we were then told it showed on the screen how long the wait would be. But the TV was behind the seating and not visible, and why didn’t they tell us this to start?! And in any event, the screen showed 4.5 hrs. So, Why keep saying there was one person before you tho if they knew the wait time would be so much linger. ….Maybe the manager is the same person who runs the airports in Portugal ! In the end, after 4hrs we just left without being seen too as they could still not indicate how much longer we would need to wait.

We waited more than 4 hours in the emergency room, the nurses and receptionists were incredibly unfriendly… just as bad as, or worse than, a public hospital, and we still have to pay for this disgrace.