Improving Health Literacy at AE Departments

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2543
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER 
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 06 FEBRUARY 2024
 
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament 
Mr Yip Hon Weng
MP for Yio Chu Kang 

Question 5700

To ask the Minister for Health to reduce overcrowding at accident and emergency (A&E) departments in the public hospitals (a) whether the Ministry will implement initiatives to improve health literacy and public understanding of common medical condition and proper emergency care procedures; (b) how is the Ministry raising public awareness about A&E and GP fees, and subsidy programmes like GPFirst; and (c) how is the Ministry planning to incorporate more remote care and triaging at the A&E departments.

Answer 

1     Mr Speaker, we agree with the member and will continue to educate members of public on the proper use of accident and emergency departments.  With the implementation of Healthier SG, all 1,000 Healthier SG GP clinics are on board the GPFirst programme. We have also set up an Urgent Care Centre in the north, to ease the A&E cases at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Our hospitals are encouraging the greater use of telemedicine, including a helpline to advise people where to seek treatment.  All of these initiatives are on-going, as we continue to manage rising case loads as a result of frequent outbreak of infectious diseases, and an ageing population.