Debated in Parliament on 18 Sep 2023.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current waiting time for ophthalmology appointments at the Singapore National Eye Centre; and (b) what arrangements exist to facilitate patients to secure earlier ophthalmology appointment dates at other public healthcare institutions.
In the second quarter of 2023, the median wait time for a new subsidised appointment at Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) is about three months. Waiting time at SNEC has been rising, due to the surge in demand of new subsidised cases following the COVID-19 pandemic and coupled with the attrition of eye specialists.
When a referral is made from primary care providers, the central appointment centres of each Healthcare Cluster will assist patients to make an earliest appointment slot at a public hospital under the Cluster. Patients can also call the central appointment centre hotlines to check for earlier available slots. Most importantly, cases that are assessed to be urgent will be prioritised and given earlier appointments.
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