extracted from ST forum.
I am writing to highlight an incident with the 6-10 Clinic and
Surgery in Serangoon Central Drive on February 2.
At about 11.40pm, my father suffered a deep cut while working on an
electrical appliance and he bled profusely. The bleeding did not
stop and he needed immediate medical attention. I rang the nearest
24-hour clinic called 6-10 Clinic and Surgery, located in Serangoon
Central Drive, to explain my situation and asked if the clinic was
open.
I was told it was a 24-hour clinic only for 'old patients' ie.
people who have visited the clinic before and have their records
there. As my father had not visited the clinic before, I was told
to come the next day at 8am.
I said it was an emergency but the clerk repeated the clinic's
policy impatiently and concluded curtly, 'I said come back tomorrow
at 8am, OK?' Stunned into silence, I said thanks and hung up.
Later around midnight, after my father had left for Tan Tock Seng
Hospital, I rang the clinic again wanting to understand the
rationale for such a policy.
The same person answered the call. I enquired about the clinic's
policy of not treating new patients even when they needed immediate
medical attention at a time when other clinics were closed.
I was told, 'This is the clinic's policy. I don't think it is
necessary for me to tell you the reason. OK? Bye,' and he slammed
the phone down. Unfortunately, I did not get the clerk's
name.
It is clear from my experience that 6-10 Clinic and Surgery does
not have a responsible policy and its staff members do not care
about the legitimate medical needs of the community they
serve.
The government has urged Singaporeans to visit the neighbourhood
24-hour clinics instead of increasing the burden on the hospitals'
A&E departments, so I am extremely disappointed and shocked at
what happened.
How do you expect people to visit the neighbourhood clinics if they
display behaviour like this? Why are such policies allowed and for
what reasons? Should the clinic's staff be tolerated when their
behaviour is contrary to the Hippocratic oath all doctors
take?
Amanda Lee Yinghui (Miss)
