Lack of Bed Space in Government Community Hospitals for Patients from Acute Hospitals

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Health what options are available for patients who can be transferred from the acute hospitals to community hospitals but are unable to be moved due to a lack of bed space in the Government community hospitals or due to affordability issues for those who have been offered bed space in private institutions.

Currently, five Community Hospitals (CHs), with a total capacity of 831 beds, receive Government subvention. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is building more CH capacity under the Healthcare 2020 Masterplan. New CHs at Jurong, Yishun, Sengkang and Outram are expected to open progressively in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020 respectively and these four CHs are estimated to add over 1,600 CH beds in total. In addition, current CHs, such as Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital and St Andrew's CH, are also adding beds and these will be progressively available by the end of this year.

In addition to transferring to CHs, public acute hospitals have also put in place various transitional care programmes to facilitate the transition of patients back to their homes. This involves multidisciplinary care teams, comprising doctors, nurses and allied health

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professionals, who provide periodic medical follow-ups at the homes of patients. These patients are well enough to be discharged from the acute hospitals but require more support and caregiver training while recuperating at home after discharge. Patients and caregivers may also receive caregiver training with acute hospitals' rehabilitation collaborators and be discharged back to home. For example, NUH's Early Supportive Discharge Programme involves sending therapists to patients' homes to assist in providing physical and occupational therapy for a period of time. For patients medically fit for discharge from hospitals but requiring post-discharge support at home while waiting for permanent care arrangements, MOH has also put in place the Interim Caregiver Service which provides a caregiver who can support the patients at home in their activities of daily living for up to two weeks.

MOH has also ramped up services in the long-term care sector to support patients recuperating in the community. For example, in addition to CHs, Senior Care Centres also offer active rehabilitation services for patients in the community. The Government also provides subsidies for home-based rehabilitation services to keep them affordable.