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Question No:
222
Question By: Madam Halimah Yacob, MP for
Jurong GRC |
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To ask the Minister for Health in view of
the rapidly aging population, |
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(a) whether there are enough subsidised beds
for patients in public hospitals to meet the increasing demand; and |
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(b) whether the Ministry has plans to
increase the number of subsidised beds in public hospitals. |
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Reply from MOH 21 May 2007 |
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The supply of acute hospital beds must keep
pace with increasing demand, as our resident population expands and
ages. While we try to match supply and demand perfectly, it is a
challenge given the long lead time in putting up new hospitals. |
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Our current bed situation is tight,
particularly in the Tan Tock Seng Hospital as it is the only hospital
serving the large population in the north besides its own catchment
area. The over-crowding in TTSH in turn causes spill-over to the other
hospitals, especially National University Hospital and Changi General
Hospital. There will be relief when the new general hospital in Yishun
opens in 3 years time. |
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Meanwhile, we are adding new beds to
existing hospitals. Since the beginning of this year, we have added 81
beds in TTSH and NUH. All are subsidized beds. Another 67 beds in NUH
and CGH will be opened in the second half of this year, also in the
subsidized wards. We will continue the incremental expansion wherever
practical until the new general hospital in Yishun opens. |
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As our resident population will
continue to expand and age, demand for new hospital beds will
continue to rise even after the new general hospital is fully
opened with 550 beds around 2012. |
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Our rough projections suggest that we
will need 60-100 new beds per year until the population
stabilizes. A significant proportion of these beds will be in the
subsidized wards. |
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We are planning ahead. A new general
hospital in the west, will be built during the next few years.
Otherwise, National University Hospital may become as over-crowded
as Tan Tock Seng Hospital is today. |
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Our plan is to keep Alexandra Hospital
temporarily for a few years while the new general hospital in the
west is being built. The exact timing and location are being
studied. |
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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg News 21 May
2007 |
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FrontPage Edition: Fri 1 June 2007
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