Health — Topics | PAPERCUTS

3 Apr 2024

Waiting Time for First Assisted Reproductive Treatment Appointment at Public Hospitals in Past Five Years

Over the past five years, the wait time for the first assisted reproductive treatment appointment at public hospitals has decreased.
In 2023, the median wait time across public hospitals was no more than seven days.
In 2023, the mean wait time across public hospitals was no more than twelve days.

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3 Apr 2024

Inclusion of More Private Sector Clinics in Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children

Mr Yip Hon Weng raised concerns about long waiting times for subsidised intervention and asked about engaging more private clinics, starting applications at polyclinics before diagnosis, means-testing for eligibility, and placement basis.
The Ministry stated that children are assessed by paediatricians, with only medium-to-high support needs referred to EIPIC, and noted the expansion from 16 to 29 centres with plans to add 1,500 more places in 2024.
Placements are generally first-come-first-served but prioritise children aged five to six to ensure at least one year of intervention before school transition, and means-testing determines fees rather than eligibility.

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3 Apr 2024

Potential Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health

The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment monitors international studies on microplastics and nanoplastics, noting current data on health impacts is insufficient, while implementing measures like robust waste management and reducing single-use plastics.
Agencies are collaborating with the Ministry of Health to track evolving scientific evidence, including recent research on cardiovascular risks, and remain open to supporting relevant research as understanding develops.
Singapore’s water supply has been tested biennially since 2017, with no microplastics detected in treated water as of 2023, and efforts continue to minimize plastic waste entering the environment.

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3 Apr 2024

Number of Telemedicine Service Providers and Take-up Rate for Their Services

MOH approved 19 standalone telemedicine providers under the Healthcare Services Act, but does not track take-up rates or have definitive data on whether telemedicine has reduced non-emergency emergency department attendances.
Telemedicine is facilitated in primary care for chronic disease management and in specialist outpatient settings for specific conditions, with MOH committed to expanding its use in appropriate settings.
The government aims to standardise regulations and reduce cost barriers to make telemedicine a viable option where it improves care quality, convenience, and access, but does not yet have specific plans to mandate it as routine practice or offer new incentives for primary care physicians.

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3 Apr 2024

Affordable Health Planning Programmes for Adult Singaporeans

The Ministry of Health has made health planning affordable for adult Singaporeans through the Healthier SG programme, which fully subsidises the first Health Plan consultation with a family doctor, and supports this with resources from community partners and healthcare clusters.
The government collaborates with various agencies and organisations, including Sport Singapore and the Health Promotion Board, to provide guided fitness assessments, lifestyle programmes, and online resources to support health planning.
While a single touch point for health planning was suggested, the ministry currently emphasises multiple outreach channels through different platforms and partners to reach people at various life stages.
For professionals and working adults seeking personalised health plans, they can start with agencies like the Health Promotion Board or be connected through the Ministry for further assistance.

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2 Apr 2024

Slowing Down Increase in Kidney Failure Cases and Assessment of Adequacy of Dialysis Care Infrastructure

Healthier SG is the national priority to slow the rise of kidney failure by promoting healthier lifestyles, screening for diabetes and hypertension, and improving disease management.
The Ministry of Health is working with providers to expand the national dialysis capacity to cater to patients requiring dialysis.
Suitable patients are being encouraged to opt for peritoneal dialysis, which can be administered at home and offers greater independence.

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2 Apr 2024

Shingles Cases by Age Groups and Monitoring Shingles' Vaccination Numbers

Ms He Ting Ru asked for the number of shingles cases recorded in each of the last five years across three age groups: under 50, 51 to 75, and over 75 years old.
Ms He Ting Ru also asked if the Ministry tracks shingles vaccine administration and, if so, for the number of doses administered in each of the last three years.
Minister Ong Ye Kung responded that shingles is not a notifiable disease, so the Ministry does not track cases or actively monitor vaccination uptake, as the vaccine is not currently recommended on the National Adult Immunisation Schedule.

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2 Apr 2024

Extending Range of Cast Applications at Polyclinics and GP Clinics to Relieve Work at A&E Departments at Hospitals

Yip Hon Weng asked why cast applications are restricted to A&E departments and whether they could be extended to polyclinics and GP clinics to ease hospital waiting times.
Ong Ye Kung explained that simpler fractures are already managed in polyclinics with splints and slings, while complex cases needing specialised procedures are handled at A&E or Urgent Care Centres.
He noted polyclinics have guidelines for fracture management, including referral protocols to specialists or emergency services.
The debate focuses on whether expanding cast applications to primary care settings could reduce A&E workload and improve efficiency.
No specific plans to extend cast application resources to polyclinics or GP clinics were announced, but the current system prioritises appropriate care settings based on fracture severity.

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2 Apr 2024

Statistics on Government Expenditure on Public Healthcare, Subsidised Medical Care for Citizens, PRs and Foreigners, and Healthcare Spend by Government and Individuals

Hazel Poa requested a three-year breakdown of public healthcare expenditure on drugs, manpower, medical technology, research, administration, and real estate, with the Minister for Health providing available financial year data in tables.
Hazel Poa sought the total government expenditure on subsidized medical care for Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and foreigners over the last three years, which the Minister addressed with tabulated figures.
Hazel Poa asked for the percentage of healthcare expenditure paid by the government, employers, MediSave, MediShield, and individuals from 2021 to 2023, broken down by citizenship status, with the Minister responding using available data tables.

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2 Apr 2024

Increasing the Number of Dentists in Public Healthcare Institutions to Meet Singaporeans' Dental Care Needs

Christopher de Souza queried if the Ministry of Health could raise the number of dentists in public institutions by 2030 to satisfy Singaporeans' dental care needs.
Ong Ye Kung stated that the Ministry regularly reviews dentist demand by considering demographic changes and oral health trends to ensure adequate access for all.
He noted the number of dentists in the public sector grew by about 40% from 2013 to 2022, rising from around 400 to 540.
Ong Ye Kung affirmed that the government will continue increasing dentists in public healthcare institutions to address growing demand.
The debate centered on whether future plans will meet the increasing dental care requirements of the population by 2030.

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2 Apr 2024

Enhancing Home Caregiving Assistance for Caregivers of Elderly with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Christopher de Souza inquired about increased home caregiving assistance for caregivers of elderly individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, outlined recent enhancements including the expanded Home Caregiving Grant, increased training courses, dementia day care, home personal care services, and the Night Respite service.
Since 2021, Post-Diagnostic Support Community Outreach Teams and CREST-Caregivers have provided resources, coping skills, and self-care advice to dementia caregivers.
The government committed to continuing reviews of support measures to better meet the needs of caregivers for seniors with dementia.

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2 Apr 2024

Steps Taken to Meet Increased Need for School Counsellors

The Ministry of Education trains and deploys school counsellors based on students' counselling needs, ensuring support aligns with demand.
Students with milder needs receive support from teachers and peers, reducing reliance on specialized counsellors.
Schools collaborate with community resources like REACH teams and Family Service Centres to provide additional mental health assistance.

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2 Apr 2024

Ensuring Healthcare Costs Do Not Rise Proportionally Despite Expansion of MediShield Life Coverage

Mr Yip Hon Weng questioned how the Ministry of Health will prevent healthcare costs from rising in step with the expansion of MediShield Life coverage and suggested audits for treatments like robotic surgery.
Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that MediShield Life expansion is a response to rising healthcare costs, not a cause, and that measures like value-based care and right-siting of patients are used to keep costs sustainable.
The Ministry also uses Health Technology Assessment to ensure subsidies and insurance coverage are limited to clinically- and cost-effective treatments.

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2 Apr 2024

Plans to Increase Capacity of Assisted Reproductive Treatment Centres at Public Hospitals

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about plans to increase capacity of assisted reproductive treatment centres at public hospitals, including timelines and expected increases.
The National University Hospital renovated its IVF laboratory in 2022 to boost ART treatment capacity.
There are upcoming plans to increase ART capacity at KK Women's and Children's Hospital and Singapore General Hospital over the next few years.
When completed, ART capacity at these public hospitals is expected to rise by about 20%.

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2 Apr 2024

Use of MediSave for Root Canal Treatments for Seniors above Age 55

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health if the Ministry will consider allowing seniors above 55 to use MediSave for root canal treatments.
The Minister of Health responded that Singaporeans can already get subsidies for root canal treatments at public healthcare institutions and under CHAS, with additional support for Pioneer and Merdeka Generation seniors.
For patients who still cannot afford treatment after subsidies, financial assistance like MediFund is available through medical social workers.
The government has received calls to allow MediSave use for root canal treatments and will review the suggestion.
Any extension of MediSave use must be carefully considered to balance affordability with ensuring seniors have sufficient funds for other healthcare needs.

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2 Apr 2024

Foreign Nurses who Received Permanent Residency and Their Employment in Public and Private Healthcare Sectors, and Voluntary Welfare Organisations

From 2018 to 2022, about 85% of foreign nurses granted permanent residency worked in the public healthcare sector, with the remainder in private healthcare, including voluntary welfare organisations.
The Ministry of Health values the contributions of foreign nurses and will continue to grant them PRs if they show commitment to Singapore.
There is no current plan to increase the percentage of nurses granted PR status as a measure to reduce nursing staff turnover.

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2 Apr 2024

Continued Affordability and Accessibility to MediShield Life for All Singaporeans Despite Rising Premiums

The Ministry of Health will ensure MediShield Life remains affordable and accessible by using MediSave for premiums, providing premium support and top-ups for those in need, and guaranteeing no loss of coverage due to genuine affordability issues.
To balance expanding coverage for groundbreaking treatments with affordable premiums, the MediShield Life Council will only include treatments assessed as clinically and cost-effective, using risk pooling to manage high-cost, low-incidence procedures.
MOH will enhance public awareness by offering resources to help Singaporeans understand their premiums and coverage, and provide a comparison of Integrated Shield Plans on its website to support informed decisions.

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2 Apr 2024

Number of Referrals to Specialist Clinics by Polyclinics and GPs, and Difference in Subsidies Granted for Such Referrals

Over the past ten years, polyclinics referred 3.9 million patients to specialist outpatient clinics in public hospitals, while GPs referred 0.74 million, with GP referrals rising from 65,000 in 2014 to 88,000 in 2023.
Patients referred by CHAS GPs, polyclinics, or similar sources receive comparable subsidies for specialist care based on citizenship, means-test status, and ward class choice, including for hospitalization.
The government did not provide a specific count of GP-referred patients who requested and received further subsidies when hospitalized in Class C wards.

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2 Apr 2024

Employment and Deployment Restrictions on Healthcare Professionals Undergoing Investigations for Patient Abuse Charges

Miss Rachel Ong inquired about employment restrictions for healthcare professionals under investigation for patient abuse, annual charges since 2010, and how many continued working in Singapore.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary stated that healthcare institutions must report abuse allegations and may reassign professionals to non-clinical roles or require leave during investigations, with possible referral to police and professional boards.
Since 2010, four healthcare professionals were convicted of patient abuse; all faced disciplinary actions like suspension or being struck off, with three no longer practicing and one returning after a 15-month suspension.

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7 Mar 2024

Funding and Support for Patients with Rare Diseases and Their Caregivers

The government highlighted that patients ineligible for the Rare Disease Fund can seek support from other charity funds, with the public encouraged to donate to the RDF to increase coverage, as every dollar donated is matched by three dollars from the government.
Social support for caregivers is available through initiatives like the Caregiver Support Networks and assistance from the Agency for Integrated Care via hotline or local AIC Links.
The government did not directly address the question on alternative funding sources beyond MediFund and MediSave for treatments not covered by the RDF, focusing instead on charitable matching and existing caregiver support channels.

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