DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the number of local and foreign doctors in the Government hospitals; (b) what is the daily average number of persons referred to those hospitals and how many doctors attend to those cases; (c) whether the number of doctors in those hospitals is sufficient to cope with the cases referred; and (d) what steps are being taken to recruit more doctors.

The Minister for Health (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, Sir, the numbers of local doctors and foreign doctors in the Government hospitals are 319 and 71 respectively. I have given to the Clerk of Parliament a list* (*See Appendix, cols 1311-2) of hospitals which spells out the number of outpatient attendances, admissions and the number of doctors allocated to each of these hospitals. I presume the Member for Anson has been given a copy also.

It is not possible to give these attendance figures in greater detail as the amount of work that the doctors are engaged in the hospitals are varied in character. They, unlike the general practitioners in private practice, are involved in looking after cases which general practitioners are unable to look at, and they are therefore preoccupied with investigative work.

The total number of doctors in each hospital therefore is only part of the answer to the question asked for by the Member for Anson. Whether the number of doctors is sufficient to cope with the cases referred, it is impossible to give a positive or definitive reply. I am afraid that there are no standards against which it can be determined whether there are enough doctors for any particular type of work. But it is true that it is possible to reallocate doctors so that the doctors are posted to units where there are shortages and where demand is great.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Sir, may I know whether the figures given in the list are correct? According to the list, the daily average number of outpatient attendances is 210 for the Toa Payoh Hospital and 1,023 for the Singapore General Hospital. I would like to know whether the figure of 210 attendances for the Toa Payoh Hospital is correct or not.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Sir, I think the Member for Anson does not realise that the Singapore General Hospital has 1,500 beds whereas the Toa Payoh Hospital has only 450 beds. That explains the difference. Secondly, it is true that the number of Accidents and Emergency attendances at Toa Payoh Hospital .has increased considerably this year as against last year's figures for the simple reason that we are reorganising the Accidents and Emergency Units in all hospitals. We know that the Accidents and Emergency Unit is a very sensitive unit and that it is considered unpopular or is a cinderella in all hospitals. But we are going to make sure that all housemen and medical officers spend some time in this unit as it gives them a broad scope of training. The figures which I have given in the list apply to the year 1974. I do not have the 1975 figures. DOCTORS' ATTENDANCES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS (Cols 1311-1312)