Insights

The latest from Serenity, across Europe.

News, perspectives and events from our team, as we bring coordinated private healthcare to members across Europe.

Um Café?
Sarcasm

You’ve Been Invited for a Coffee in Portugal. Do You Know What You’re Getting Into?

Invited for a coffee in Portugal? It might mean a beer, a business meeting or seventeen snacks. A tea-drinking Portuguese local decodes the invitation.

Poppy Wander · Oct 14, 2026
Choices.
Family Doctor

Never a Better Time to Be Ill. Never a More Confusing Time to Be a Patient.

After 36 years in medicine, The Doctor reflects on why this may be the best time in history to be ill, and the most confusing time to be a patient.

The Doctor · Oct 12, 2026
Food Noise.
Health, Uncomplicated

Why Is Everyone Talking About These Medicines? And What Is Actually Happening Inside the Body?

Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy are everywhere. What GLP-1 and GIP medicines actually do in the body, what they cannot do, and the questions worth asking first.

Nurse Berry Good · Oct 9, 2026
Sunlit doctor's office with a wooden desk, stethoscope, reading glasses and handwritten notes
Family Doctor

The Old Doctor: The Quiet Luxury of Being Looked After.

A personal story about an old family doctor, and why, in a world of apps and AI, being genuinely looked after has become one of life's quiet luxuries.

Madam Doctor · Oct 9, 2026
Ready.
Health, Uncomplicated

Your Emergency Contact Knows Less Than You Think.

Your emergency contact may know you best, but do they know your healthcare? Why scattered medical information matters, and a two-minute test to try tonight.

Pearl Doom · Oct 2, 2026
Belonging.
Life, As It Is

The Country Did Not Move. I Did.

Serenity member Lisa C. Williams on moving to Portugal at 60, learning the country on foot, learning to be a patient again, and what belonging asks of us.

Lisa C. Williams · Oct 1, 2026
Patience.
Sarcasm

Your Illness Is Real. The World Still Has Other Appointments.

Chronic illness is real, exhausting and often invisible. A reminder that the receptionist did not shuffle the deck, and that respect works both ways.

Nurse Patience Wearingthin · Oct 1, 2026
Consistently.
Health, Uncomplicated

Have You Done Your Pilates Today?

Why consistency, not perfection, is what makes Pilates so effective, and why it might be the simplest place to start taking care of your body.

Nurse Berry Good · Sep 28, 2026
Woman looking out over Lisbon from a café balcony with coffee and pastel de nata
Mental Health

Sometimes "I'm Fine" Isn't the Whole Story.

September is Suicide Prevention Month in Portugal. A honest look at the loneliness that can come with moving abroad, and why it matters to ask how someone is really doing.

Will B. Fin · Sep 25, 2026
Herbal tea with ginger, honey and autumn flowers on a warmly lit table
Health, Uncomplicated

Flu Season Is Coming. Time to Vaccinate.

The 2026 to 2027 Flu and COVID-19 seasonal vaccination campaign in Portugal, who is eligible, what has changed, and where to get vaccinated.

Nurse Berry Good · Sep 17, 2026
Checking In.
Sarcasm

America, Are You Okay? Nurse Patience Is Just Checking In.

A lighthearted check in for American clients watching US politics unfold from the calm of a Portuguese café, plus a reminder about the November midterms.

Nurse Patience Wearingthin · Sep 14, 2026
Breathe.
Sarcasm

Your Wearable Says You're Dying. Calm Down.

Wearables are brilliant. They are not your doctor, and neither is Google. A gentle reminder not to turn a bad night's sleep into a research project.

Nurse Patience Wearingthin · Sep 14, 2026
Uncomplicated.
Health, Uncomplicated

Nurture Your Hashimoto, Please!

A warm, honest story about living with Hashimoto's, the little pill, the bread you have to give up, and learning a new relationship with your own body.

Nurse Berry Good · Sep 8, 2026
Care Quality Commission logo
News

Another Layer of Trust: Serenity UK Is Now CQC Registered.

Since 4 August 2026, Serenity UK has been registered with the Care Quality Commission, achieving the standard on its first application.

Serenity Team · Sep 8, 2026
Couple walking together in Lisbon at sunset near Belem Tower
Insurance Translator

You Have Health Insurance. But Who Is Looking After You?

Having health insurance gives you coverage. Having someone advocate for you helps you navigate it. Here's what insurance advocacy really means.

Polly C. · Sep 8, 2026
Woman walking with a suitcase through an airport, looking out at the view
Insurance Translator

Choosing Health Insurance as an Expat: Why Your Medical Background Matters.

Your medical background can play an important role in determining which insurance option is right for you.

Polly C. · Sep 8, 2026
Calma.
Sarcasm

Field Observation.

A field study of the Portuguese Native: their relationship with time, paperwork, family and food. Researchers remain fascinated.

Miss Understood · Sep 8, 2026
Survived.
Sarcasm

September: Congratulations, You Survived Summer.

The children are back at school, the weather cannot decide what season it is, and everyone you know is suddenly ill. Welcome back.

Nurse Patience Wearingthin · Sep 3, 2026
Top Healthcare Concierge Services in Europe 2026 award
News

Top Healthcare Concierge Providers in Europe.

Serenity was proudly recognized as a Top Healthcare Concierge Provider in Europe, reflecting the trust our members place in us.

Apr 6, 2026
Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in UK event
Events

On March 26, Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in UK.

On March 26, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in the UK hosted an evening dedicated to healthcare and cross border collaboration.

Apr 6, 2026
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