Provision of Training and Assistance to Polyclinics and GPs to See Patients with Intellectual Disability for Basic Healthcare Treatment

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Health what training and assistance are provided to polyclinics and general practitioners to equip them to see patients who have intellectual disability for basic healthcare treatment such as for flu, fever and coughs.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: As part of local undergraduate training, medical students are equipped to provide care for persons with intellectual disability (PWID). MOH is also collaborating with the College of Family Physicians Singapore to provide a Family Practice Skills Course to further strengthen our medical practitioners’ skills in this area. This helps to ensure that primary care doctors have a good understanding of the physical health issues and behavioural concerns of PWID, and can better manage them in primary care.