Debated in Parliament on 16 Oct 2012.
Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Health (a) for each of the last five years, what is the percentage of patients at polyclinics who have to wait more than (i) 14 days (ii) 21 days and (iii) 30 days respectively to obtain an appointment slot for general medical services and for dental services respectively; and (b) whether the Ministry has measures to reduce these times.
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Polyclinics see patients through walk-ins or by appointment. For general medical services, patients are usually seen as walk-ins. Our polyclinics, however, encourage patients to make an appointment for services, such as health screenings, immunisations and visits for chronic conditions. Patients who make an appointment for these services for the first time will be seen within one to two weeks.
Polyclinic dental services are provided only on an appointment basis, aside from emergency cases. The lead time for patients to see the dentists at the polyclinics depends on the type of conditions. Patients with dental emergencies, such as severe pain, swelling and bleeding, are typically seen on the same day. For simple dental services, such as dental fillings, patients are seen within one and a half months. Routine services, such as scaling and polishing, are typically planned in advance and generally performed during the routine yearly dental check-ups. Because the assignment of appointment date is by clinical needs and urgency, the polyclinics do not track appointment times according to 14, 21 or 30 days, as requested by Mr Baey.
We have seen an increase of about 30% in the demand for basic dental services in the polyclinics over the past two to three years. The polyclinics have implemented measures to better manage appointment wait-times, including having a phone triaging system managed by trained personnel, so that patients needing more urgent treatments receive priority.
Besides the polyclinics, Singaporeans can access subsidised services in 504 GP and 272 private dental clinics (figures as at September 2012) through the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). Under CHAS, lower and middle-income Singaporeans aged 40 and above can receive subsidised dental services, such as crowns, bridges, dentures and root canal treatments, at participating private dental clinics near their homes.
My Ministry will continue to review the services in the primary care sector and ensure that Singaporeans from all walks of life, especially those who are less privileged and the elderly, will have access to good and affordable medical and dental care.
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