CONSOLIDATION OF SMALL MEDICAL PRACTICES BY CORPORATE CHAINS AND SUPPORT MEASURES TO ENSURE VIABILITY OF INDEPENDENT CLINICS

NOTICE PAPER NO. 571

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 3 MARCH 2026

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Yip Hon Weng

MP for Yio Chu Kang

Question No. 1154

To ask the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry monitors the consolidation of independent clinics into corporate chains due to cumulative regulatory burdens and its impact on personalised care accessibility; and (b) whether support measures for the compliance requirements under the Health Information Bill will include turnkey IT solutions and dedicated implementation assistance to ensure the continued viability of small practices.

Answer

1.          The Ministry of Health does not monitor the consolidation of independent clinics into corporate chains. That said, we regulate clinical standards and ethical practice of clinicians.

2.          The government will provide support to healthcare providers, including small practices, to comply with the Health Information Act (HIA). This includes funding support for procuring HIA-compliant IT systems and training.