Gan: Tents part of ‘buffer’ capacity for hospitals
 

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Gan: Tents part of ‘buffer’ capacity for hospitals

http://www.tremeritus.org/simages/dm...d_sml_120n.png http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content...stDateIcon.png March 4th, 2014 | http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content...AuthorIcon.png Author: Editorial

http://www.tremeritus.org/wp-content...ng-300x170.jpg Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong

A question was asked in Parliament yesterday (3 Mar) if the Ministry of Health could have taken action earlier to avoid the need for tents to be used to cope with the bed crunch situation in some public hospitals in Singapore.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong replied that the tent used for the Admission Transit Area Extension at Changi General Hospital is part of the “buffer capacity” to respond to unexpected surges in demand. It was built last June.
He said:
This is a purpose-built facility for housing stable and conscious patients at the Emergency Department with ‘less serious’ conditions.
“Changi General Hospital has also put in place appropriate clinical protocols and staffing to ensure that patients are cared for safely in the facility. This facility is closed in times when there is no surge in demand.
He also said that while the new facilities, which are part of the plans to add more capacity under the Healthcare 2020 Masterplan, are being developed, the demand for acute healthcare services remains high and the capacity remains tight.

“From time to time, there may be peaks in demand due to various factors, such as an outbreak of diseases like dengue as well as seasonal factors. Therefore, we have also put in place some buffer capacity to anticipate such surges in demand,” Mr Gan explained.

Mr Gan then assured the House that in the next few months and years, new capacity will be injected steadily into the healthcare sector across various care settings.

“By the end of this year, more beds will be added from various developments such as the Integrated Block at Changi General Hospital, and the new Ng Teng Fong General Hospital,” he said.

“Altogether, from now till 2020, we will add over 11,000 more acute hospital, community hospital and nursing home beds and these new facilities will serve to meet the demand for healthcare services.”
Has Mr Gan answered the MP’s question? The MP was asking “whether the Ministry could have taken action earlier to avoid the need for tentages to be used to tackle the situation”.
What do you think?


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