Debated in Parliament on 5 Jul 2023.
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the average waiting time for initial and follow-up appointments for mental health treatment at public healthcare institutions; and (b) can more accessible and affordable options be provided to mental healthcare patients who are seeking private treatment due to long waiting times in the public healthcare system.
The median waiting time for a new subsidised appointment was 45 days to see a psychiatrist and 42 days to see a psychologist. The interval for follow-up appointments varies from patient to patient and is based on the healthcare professional’s assessment of the patient’s needs.
Public hospitals employ a triage system to ensure that patients are seen in a timely manner based on the urgency of their condition. Patients whose conditions are more severe or who require more urgent assistance are given earlier appointments. Persons in need of urgent mental healthcare can also access various mental health counselling helplines operated by social service agencies, support groups and hospitals, or seek medical help at the 24-hour Emergency Services located at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). In addition, IMH has crisis teams that provide on-site crisis interventions to persons with a known or suspected mental health condition who are at risk of harm to self or others.
Patients with mental health conditions can also receive care from primary care doctors in the community. As at end-2022, there were over 410 trained general practitioners (GPs) who provide mental health services. Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation cardholders are eligible for additional subsidies of up to $540 annually for the management of mental illnesses under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), which include major depression, anxiety disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, at CHAS GP clinics which provide mental health services.
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