Average Duration Patients Are Warded at IMH for Treatment and Average Nurse-to-patient Ratio

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the average duration that patients are warded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for inpatient treatment for mental health conditions listed under the Chronic Disease Management Programme; and (b) what is the average inpatient nurse-to-patient ratio in IMH for 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The mental health conditions 1 listed under the Chronic Disease Management Programme are Schizophrenia, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety. In 2021, the average length of stay for admitted patients with schizophrenia was 50 days, major depression was 14 days, bipolar disorder was 33 days and anxiety was 16 days.

In 2020, 2021 and 2022 (up to August), the general ward nurse-to-patient ratio in IMH has remained relatively stable at one nurse for every five or six beds. On the ground, staffing ratio will vary according to the levels of care required by patients.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 39:

1 According to the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) Handbook for Healthcare Professionals 2021 (published on 1 August 2021), dementia will not be considered a mental illness under the CDMP as of 1 January 2014.