Treatment of Patients Who Turn Up at Polyclinics Close to Closing Time

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Health (a) how do polyclinics decide whether or not to turn away a patient who turns up just before their closing hour; (b) whether there is a quota on the number of patients to be seen in one day; and (c) what other alternatives do these patients have.

The Minister for Health (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Sir, polyclinics do not have a quota on the number of patients to be seen each day. The official polyclinic consultation hours extend from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm and then after that, 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm on weekdays, and from 8.00 am to 12.30 pm on Saturdays. Registration for patients may sometimes close before official consultation hours to allow time for registered patients to be seen by the doctors.

Notwithstanding, polyclinics often operate beyond official opening hours and doctors have been working very hard and trying their best to see their patients as soon as possible. When the consultation time for patients waiting in line is expected to go well beyond the operating hours, nurses at the polyclinics will assess the severity of the patients' conditions. Those with urgent conditions will be seen or given the necessary triage. Those with non-urgent conditions may be advised to return the next day, but if registered patients wish to wait, the doctor will still see them even after the opening hours. Patients with critical conditions may be referred to the nearest A&E departments after triage.

Polyclinics have introduced measures to better manage waiting times. For example, our polyclinics have implemented self-registration for appointment-based services, such as health screenings, immunisations and visits for chronic conditions. With self-registration, patients can proceed directly to service points without having to spend additional time queuing at the registration areas. Notices of current estimated waiting time and patient volume are also posted at the respective polyclinics and the Internet Queue Watch page on our polyclinic websites, which would enable patients to better manage their time.

As an alternative to polyclinics, patients may wish to seek care at the GP clinics, including after polyclinic opening hours. Most of these GP clinics operate extended hours, including evenings and weekends. Currently, 460 GP clinics provide subsidised care under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) where eligible patients can receive similar subsidy as that received at polyclinics.

3.00 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. We have now reached the closing hour. End of Question Time.

[ Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3) Written Answers to Question Nos. 18, 23, 27, 29-30, 33, 35-37, 43 and 46-48 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos. 17, 19-22, 24-26, 28, 31-32, 34, 38-42 and 44-45 have been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament. ]

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