Statistics of Patients with Multiple Visits to Specialist Outpatient Clinics or Polyclinics Per Year with Mobility Needs or Requiring Caregiver Assistance

Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health (a) from 2019 to 2021, what is the number of individual patients in each calendar year that had (i) six to 11 (ii) 12 to 23 (iii) 24 to 35 or (iv) 36 or more, visits to specialist outpatient clinics or polyclinics; and (b) what proportion of these patients (i) had mobility needs or (ii) required caregiver assistance or an accompanying person.

The data required are as follows. 2021 data is not available.

Public hospitals and polyclinics do not track the proportion of patients who have mobility needs or require caregiver assistance. All hospitals and polyclinics stand ready to assist patients with mobility needs. For example, service ambassadors or healthcare assistants would assist these patients during their clinic visits, including the loan of wheelchairs and supporting them in way-finding. Wheelchairs are also provided at facility entrances, clinics, and drop off points for patients who require mobility assistance.