Healthcare review will take some time: Gan Kim Yong
The Health Ministry's review of Singapore's healthcare system, particularly of nursing homes, will take some time as it involves long-term issues, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Sunday.
These issues include working to increase the number of healthcare professionals, enhancing the quality of existing staff, minimising costs, and encouraging families to allow their elderly parents to retire and stay either with them or in their homes.
"These are long-term issues that will require very careful analysis and understanding of the impact," Mr Gan said to reporters on the sidelines of a large-scale fire drill and emergency preparedness event at Yew Mei Green condominium in Yew Tee.
Mr Gan was responding to questions about the review of the nursing home system that the ministry was conducting in view of the recent alleged abuse case of an elderly lady at Nightingale Nursing Home. The home has since been suspended from accepting new patients as investigations continue.
In the meantime, the ministry will look at short-term steps such as making outpatient services more affordable through the expansion of the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS), which allows poorer elderly patients to receive specialist treatment from neighbourhood clinics at polyclinic rates, the minister added.
Earlier this year, the PCPS scheme was widened to cover 10 key chronic diseases and two specialist dental treatments.
