BRITISH FORCES' HOSPITALS HANDED OVER ON WITHDRAWAL (Adequacy of staff)

Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Health whether there are adequate staff to run the hospitals which have been handed over by the British Forces on their withdrawal from Singapore; and, if not, if his Ministry is taking steps to recruit more staff for those hospitals.

The Minister for Health (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, two hospitals were taken over from the British Forces and they are:

(a) The Sembawang Hospital (formerly known as the Naval Base Hospital) has a total of 62 available beds for in-patient care. All beds have been commissioned for use, and report 50 per cent occupancy, at the present moment. For this hospital, staff have been approved under Head A/C Code 1202 of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1971-72. The full complement is presently not deployed into the hospital as renovations to various departments have not been completed, and the hospital is not running at full strength as yet.

(b) As for the Alexandra Hospital (formerly the British Military Hospital) which was handed over in early September, it admitted its first patient on the 15th September, 1971. More than 50 per cent of the staff of all grades, as approved under the Estimates, are already working within the hospital. Employment against vacant posts is being programmed to meet the needs of the hospital as it continues to expand its activities. There is at the present moment available, medical beds, surgical beds paediatric beds and obstetrical and gynaecological wards. In addition, there is a radiological service, pathological service, anaesthetic service and a day-operated Casualty Unit. A little over 200 beds have been commissioned for use with an average daily bed occupancy of 50 to 60 per cent. Further beds will be commissioned as renovation programmes are completed.

Thus, on the basis of the present activity of these two hospitals there is an adequate number of staff to run them.