Extension Of Primary Care Initiatives

26 May 2001

The Ministry of Health will extend its Primary Care Partnership Scheme and night clinic service to provide convenient and accessible primary healthcare to more Singaporeans.

Extension of Primary Care Partnership Scheme

In October 2000, the Ministry of Health launched the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS). Under the scheme, private general practitioners (GPs) are contracted to serve needy elderly who do not live within close proximity of the polyclinics. The GPs are invited to provide common outpatient medical services for simple medical conditions, such as coughs and colds (see Annex A (16.5KB)). Singaporeans aged 65 years and above with per capita household income of $700 and below are eligible for the scheme. Similar to the polyclinic services, patients under the scheme have to pay $4 per attendance and 70 cents per drug item per week (see Annex B (9.63KB)). Patients with chronic illnesses will continue to be managed by polyclinics.

The scheme was piloted for the residents in 4 areas - Kreta Ayer Division of Kreta Ayer-Tanglin GRC, Jalan Besar Division of Jalan Besar GRC, Simei estate and Bukit Panjang new town. As at April 2001, there are 549 elderly residents on the scheme. They are served by 23 GPs. Response to the scheme has been positive. The elderly appreciate the additional convenience of seeing a GP near their home instead of travelling to the polyclinic. As at April 2001, there are over 1200 attendance at private GPs or an average of 177 attendance per month.

From 1 July 2001, the scheme would be extended to five additional areas, namely Kampong Glam Division of Jalan Besar GRC, Ayer Rajah estate, Serangoon town, Sengkang town and Pasir Ris town. The extension would allow more elderly to benefit from the scheme and offer an opportunity for more private GPs to provide subsidised outpatient care to low-income elderly Singaporeans. Thus far, 72 clinics in the five new areas have indicated that they would be participating in the scheme (see Annex C (13.2KB)).

The Ministry will continue to work with the Community Development Councils (CDCs) to assess the eligibility of the needy and elderly Singaporeans for the scheme. The CDCs will issue a "Community Medical Benefits Card" to those who qualify. The elderly in the nine identified areas who wish to participate in the scheme can collect the application forms from their Community Development Councils and Community Centres (see Annex D (11.0KB)).

Extension of Night Clinic Service

In January 2001, a pilot night clinic was launched in Jurong Polyclinic under the National Healthcare Group (NHG). The night clinic provides lower income Singaporeans the convenience of medical attention at night, instead of having to wait until the following day.

Response to the night clinic service has been positive. Currently, the clinic sees an average of 115 patients per night. The Ministry has recently announced that night clinic service will be extended to the Pasir Ris Polyclinic under Singapore Health Services (Singhealth) when the polyclinic begins operation by the end of the year.

The Ministry will also extend night clinic service to the newly renovated Clementi Polyclinic in July 2001. The Clementi night clinic would be the second night clinic operated by the NHG.

Expansion of night clinic service

The scope of services at Jurong and Clementi night clinics would also be gradually expanded to include chronic medical conditions. Currently, the Jurong night clinic only sees patients with acute medical conditions. Those with chronic medical conditions are advised to come in the day when the full complement of health professional staff is available. The expansion in services would take place in phases. As a start, Singaporeans with selected chronic medical conditions such as chronic asthma, skin disorders and well-controlled diabetes, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol which do not require the services of a complete multi-disciplinary team have the additional option of seeing their doctors at night. The provision of chronic care at night clinics would make it more convenient for working adults who now have to take time off to see the doctor for their own chronic conditions, or to accompany their elderly parents for such visits during the day.

Public- private sector collaboration

NHGP will be inviting GPs to become Adjunct Family Physicians of NHGP. Under this scheme, GPs will be able to see patients at NHG Polyclinics on a part-time basis, either in the day or night sessions. They will be paid on a sessional basis at market rates. Preference will be given to GPs who practise in the vicinity of the Polyclinic, and to GPs with a degree of Master of Medicine in Family Medicine.

Conclusion

The Ministry of Health will deliver better primary healthcare to Singaporeans through the extension of its primary care initiatives and greater collaboration between the public sector healthcare providers, the private sector GPs and people sector CDCs.

• Annex A (16 KB) 
  

• Annex B (9 KB) 
  

• Annex C (13 KB) 
  

• Annex D (11 KB)