Health Minister apologises for overcrowding situation at hos

noahnoah SG

Health Minister apologises for overcrowding situation at hospitals
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 21 December 2009 2148 hrs

Photos 1 of 1
Khaw Boon Wan

SINGAPORE: Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has apologised for the overcrowding situation at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Writing in his blog on Monday, Mr Khaw said the hospital's Accident and Emergency department is always packed with patients having to wait for a bed in a crowded room, or corridor.

Several times a week, the hospital even had to divert civil defence ambulances to other hospitals.

This in turn has spread the overcrowding situation to hospitals like Changi General Hospital and Singapore General Hospital.

Many of the patients are from Woodlands and Yishun in the north and Mr Khaw hopes the new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital will ease the load when it opens.

He added that on hindsight, his ministry made a mistake ...by not building the new hospital two years earlier. And he said that is why plans for the Jurong General Hospital in the west were started last year.

Separately, major changes are coming up in the health sector, especially in the allied health professions. And Mr Khaw said legislation will have to keep up.

He said he has already gone to Parliament to register dental hygienists and advanced practice nurses. Physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other allied health professionals will be next in line.

Community hospitals will be another focus of the ministry next year. Mr Khaw said several more will be built in the northern and eastern part of Singapore, next to acute care hospitals.

More nursing homes will also be built within HDB estates. Mr Khaw said these will be modern facilities and will also be located in the north and east of Singapore. - CNA/vm

John Penn SG

F*** CARE

MAY 2007, HAD ONE MINOR OPERATION (ROUGHLY 20 MIN - GONNA SERIOUS INFLAMATION) + MISC EXPENSES COST AROUND S$430.00 - 18 HOURS OF HOSPITAL ADMISSION ONLY

SOMEMORE F*** UP DOCTORS, NURSES, HEALTHCARE ATTENDANTS AND FOODS

JUST HEARD THOSE BUGGERS - PRC NURSES TALKING AND LAUGHING

NIGHT DUTY PRC NURSES ALSO HOPELESS - THEIR EXISTENCE IS JUST LIKE FOR SHOW

DAMN STUPID AND SHAMELESS OLD MAN - (M***** F***) TICKING THE PRC NURSES

INSURANCE CANNOT CLAIM COS LESS THAN S$1000.00

WASTING MY MONEY

the Bear SG

admission of a fault is heck of a lot more than the other ministers have done...

now.. fix it..

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

admission of a fault is heck of a lot more than the other ministers have done...

now.. fix it..

Well not exactly... With TTSH being the central hospital... It caters to a wide area... naturally more ambulance will send patients there... Not even SGH's A&E has tat much of a problem...

It's the location of the hospitals that's the problem... how there's 3 hospital in the west (I counted in SGH as west) but only 1 in the east... Hopefully the new hospital (Dunno wat name) at yishun will curb the north side's demand...

John Penn SG

BETWEEN PRC AND BURMA NURSES.

I WOULD PREFER BURMA NURSES, COS ATTITUDE MUCH BETTER THAN THE DAMN PRC ONE.

ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, WHERE THE HUMAN TRAFFIC IS NOT THAT FREQUENT.

WHEN ALL THEIR DEPT HEAD WENT HOME TO SLEEP.

storywolf SG

He openly admit he and his ministry make a mistake -and working hard to fix it. That a good and great man.

Better then a lot other - which never admit they make mistake, and waste their time fixing opposition parties then fixing problems.

Wish we have more of good people like him.

SevenEleven SG

Wish we have more of good people like him.

and to solve it all, "mean test"

Farid_ SG

....

sgdiehard SG

BETWEEN PRC AND BURMA NURSES.

I WOULD PREFER BURMA NURSES, COS ATTITUDE MUCH BETTER THAN THE DAMN PRC ONE.

ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, WHERE THE HUMAN TRAFFIC IS NOT THAT FREQUENT.

WHEN ALL THEIR DEPT HEAD WENT HOME TO SLEEP.

What is human traffic? at night, traffic of patients seeking medical attention is not reduced, no change in patients hospitalized, only visitors are not allowed.

the problem with our government hospitals is that there are fewer nurses per 100 patients, burmese nurses are more submissive, PRC nurses have learnt from the singaporean nurses, when all dept heads sleep, they are in charge!

you can have a choice of nurses if you go to mt e or glaneagles, besides burmese, singaporean, prc, you also have philippinos, indian, even australian and new zealanders. want to stay longer?

Rock^Star SG

they should have seen this coming.....how can the population suddenly from 4m explode to 5m and still not have new hospitals? I pity those fresh housemen, must be so terrified of the medical industry.

noahnoah SG

Hospital Specialist appt normally

take 2-3 months one right?

Depend on one's medical condition.

If tio cancer.or going to up lorry. Instant Attention!

If minor problem. can take up to 6 months one zz

Rock^Star SG

It doesnt make sense if one has a tumour and gotta wait 4-6 mths to see a specialist. The thyroid would have worsened. Unless one is willing to pay to see a private doc.

This only serves to strengthen the theory that the rich survive yet the poor die broke.

noahnoah SG

Its an honest mistake.

donkhead333 SG

I've always heard from the older generation,

"In Singapore, you can only afford to die, but not fall ill."

Nowadays, everything that requires speed = private hospitals = $$

John Penn SG

What is human traffic? at night, traffic of patients seeking medical attention is not reduced, no change in patients hospitalized, only visitors are not allowed.

you can have a choice of nurses if you go to mt e or glaneagles, besides burmese, singaporean, prc, you also have philippinos, indian, even australian and new zealanders. want to stay longer?

JUST MENTION THE WARD THAT I HAD BEEN HOSPITALISED

NOT THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL

GP LETTER TO A & E - DOCTOR IN CHARGE WANT ME TO BE HOSPITALISED IMMEDIATELY

HE TOLD ME:" BACTERIA INFECTION, YOU BETTER HAD YOUR ADMISSION DONE NOW".

TOTAL OF 6 INJECTION.

12 AM WHEELED TO OPERATION THREATRE.

NEXT DAY 14:00 PM F*** OFF.

John Penn SG

I've always heard from the older generation,

"In Singapore, you can only afford to die, but not fall ill."

Nowadays, everything that requires speed = private hospitals = $$

mt e, glaneagles, EAST SHORE, ETC - ALL THIS PRIVATE - $$$

WOW LAH ... ...

AFTER READING YOUR MEDICAL BILLS - SURE SPEECHLESS.

fudgester SG

Seriously, what was the rationale for not building the northern hospital earlier?

Just looking at things from a geographical viewpoint:

East: CGH

South: SGH

Central: TTSH

West: NUH, AH

North:..... ?

It was very clear from a long, long time ago that TTSH was seriously overloaded and that a new northern general hospital was needed.

Now he has admitted the mistake, so jolly well go fix that mistake pronto. Easier said than done, but hey, he really should have thought of that a long time ago.

noahnoah SG

Seriously, what was the rationale for not building the northern hospital earlier?

Just looking at things from a geographical viewpoint:

East: CGH

South: SGH

Central: TTSH

West: NUH, AH

North:..... ?

It was very clear from a long, long time ago that TTSH was seriously overloaded and that a new northern general hospital was needed.

Now he has admitted the mistake, so jolly well go fix that mistake pronto. Easier said than done, but hey, he really should have thought of that a long time ago.

LoL

paid millions a year

can make mistake too

if pay only few k a month

means can make tones of mistakes

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

Seriously, what was the rationale for not building the northern hospital earlier?

Just looking at things from a geographical viewpoint:

East: CGH

South: SGH

Central: TTSH

West: NUH, AH

North:..... ?

It was very clear from a long, long time ago that TTSH was seriously overloaded and that a new northern general hospital was needed.

Now he has admitted the mistake, so jolly well go fix that mistake pronto. Easier said than done, but hey, he really should have thought of that a long time ago.

Exactly... They shld have considered the northen area too, there's alot of residential area there... Now let's just hope the collaspe of AH and the opening of the new hospital at yishun will solve the problem...

deepak.c SG

Been overcrowding for many years liao. You mean he only realised it now?!?!

What was it that they say about people living in ivory towers?

Or maybe he felt responsible right now after so many years.

Wait ages to get warded, when you managed to get a bed, they will start rushing to discharge you.