HDB says: Clinics are also business operations

gerald_tan SG

Clinics are also business operations

Friday July 27, 2007

Letter from Ng Leong Keng
Deputy Director (Policy & Planning)
For Director (Properties & Land)
Housing & Development Board

I refer to the letter, "Bitter pill for 500 patients when GP loses clinic" (July 19) by Ms Vicky Chong Cheng Yee.

Blocks 30 to 39 Dover Road were announced for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in July 2004. The rental shops and eating houses at Blocks 32, 34, and 35 would be cleared in tandem with the flats to facilitate comprehensive redevelopment. Eligible shop tenants are given an ex gratia payment and a 10 per cent discount off their successful bids for other HDB rental shops.

The HDB has built new commercial facilities at Block 28 Dover Crescent to cater to the residents' needs. These units will be let out by open tender. To ensure that there are essential trades to serve the residents, there will be at least one clinic in this precinct.

While clinics provide a valuable service to residents, they are also business operations. Hence, it would be unfair to other businesses if the HDB allocated alternative units directly to specific operators. The doctor operating the clinic, like other affected tenants who are keen to operate at Block 28 Dover Crescent, already has an advantage in securing a unit in view of the 10 per cent discount.

We thank the writer for the feedback.

Right..... so the good man from HDB has finally come out to say what we knew all along... that "Clinics are also business operations", instead of all that crap about subsidized health care that the Ministry of Health has been spouting.

When your neighbourhood GP gets kicked out by the Soo Kee Jewellery or the Giordano, and u have to queue for 3 hours at the polyclinic, you know who to blame.

And when the GPs have to fight vs Old Chang Kee in an "open tender", there can be only one winner - HDB!! The loser? Obviously us poor common people who will have to pay more for medicine or curry puff.

Mr Ng might as well come right out and say "HDB is also a business operations" and their mission is to milk the shopkeepers for all they are worth.

pearlie27 SG

You seem to have confused private clinic with polyclinic. Private clinics are indeed business operations.

Didn't HDB said it would ensure at least one private clinic at the new commercial centre?

Long queue at polyclinics have to be solved in other ways and not by increasing the numbers of GP.

Seven_Dragon SG

Actually, a lot of "so-called" government agencies are actually privatized, ranging from PUB, HDB, school, University, Hospitals, transportation...

So if you can't pay the bills, you die Evil or Very Mad Twisted Evil Government have no or little responsibilites to help the citizens if they have no $$$ to pay Shocked

In other words, if these government agencies are still under them, they have the responsibilities to help... Haiz...

So they are smart to privatize these agencies...

dragg SG

everything is about money to them.

Rock^Star SG

Private clinics are also business operations, nothing wrong with that. GPs set up their own private practice so that they may earn more than what they are paid in hospitals.

Think you have gotten the 'clinics are also business operations' thing totally out of context.

gerald_tan SG

So private clinics are business operations, but when they raise consultation fees, everybody complains and talks about 'social responsibility' and 'lack of ethics' ?? Rolling Eyes

Rock^Star SG

On the other hand, no private clinic is a charity organisation.

Social responsibility?That's debatable.

gerald_tan SG

Reply to HDB in Today's forum.

Clinic is part of our community, not just a business

Tuesday August 14, 2007

Letter from Francis Hong Kim Hua

I refer to the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) letter, "Clinics are also business" (July 27).

I am one of the 500 patients who signed the appeal to HDB. But we did not appeal to get special treatment for the clinic in Dover Estate.

We were pleading with HDB to help the residents keep our family doctors when we move to the new estate.

From HDB's replies so far, it seems that HDB has not correctly identified the issue the difficulties posed to residents who may lose their family doctors who have looked after many of them for more than 20 years.

It is not appropriate for HDB to equate the relationship between doctors and patients to that of a business with its clients. We did not appeal to HDB to keep a coffee shop because we like their coffee or a hair salon because we like their hairstyling services.

Our appeal to HDB is one of necessity and not luxury. The clinic in question is one that has given good and faithful service to us heartlanders.

I understand there have been cases where shops were given units under Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers). One of them was the en bloc of Block 28 at Dover Road.

If HDB is unable to accept our appeal because there has been no precedent, I would like to point out that any existing policy or practice would be new when introduced. Policies and rules are man-made they should be reviewed and adapted when necessary.

I hope HDB would reconsider our appeal.