Injured workers taken to Raffles Hospital before SCDF arrived

25 July 2012, The Straits Times

When the victims of a road accident in May near Raffles Hospital were sent to public hospitalsfarther away ("Ferrari crash: SCDF 'made the right call'"; May 26), a group of emergency medicine specialists justified the procedure by stating that Raffles Hospital was not equipped to deal with emergency cases. 

The Health Ministry as well as the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) replied to the Forum page jointly saying the same, stating that it was the right call to send the victims of the Ferrari crash to Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital and that they were the nearest fully equipped hospitals ("Raffles Hospital not for multiple trauma cases"; May21) 

Their replies contradicted the one by Raffles Hospital ("Raffles Hospital well-equipped to handle multiple trauma cases round the clock"; May 24), which said it was well-equipped to render emergency medical assistance to the victims.

Yet, when last Wednesday's accident at the Downtown Line 1 construction site happened, eight of the injured workers were dispatched to Raffles Hospital, instead of to SGH or TTSH ("Rescuers use hands to comb wet cement area"; last Thursday). 

The contradiction in emergency procedures between May's Ferrari crash and last Wednesday's MRT worksite accident in similar locations was not explained to the public. Was it because the injuries in the latest accident were comparatively minor and did not require public hospital treatment? 

Be that as it may, I applaud Raffles Hospital's willingness to render timely medical assistance.

Jonathan Lee

31 July 2012, The Straits Times

From reports of the accident at the Downtown Line Bugis MRT station worksite, I believe that the workers who were treated at Raffles Hospital were taken there before rescuers arrived ("Why the contradictory choice of hospitals in two emergencies?" by Mr Jonathan Lee; last Wednesday).

I would also safely assume that the workers who were taken to the hospital suffered minor injuries, as five were treated as outpatients while the other three were discharged the next day.

Therefore, as tragic as the whole incident was, the eight casualties might not be considered emergency cases.

The workers might also have had their charges billed to their insurance, hence the willingness to seek treatment at a private hospital, where charges are generally higher. 

A group of top emergency medicine specialists, referring to the Ferrari crash in May, said then that the public hospitals, and not Raffles, are part of the Ministry of Health's "national emergency and trauma system" ("Ferrari crash: SCDF 'made the right call'"; May 26). 

Let us not confuse the public further – there is no contradiction in the procedures adopted in the two incidents. If people are led to believe that there are exceptions, precious time will be wasted with Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics trying to explain why they need to take casualties to the "appropriate" hospital.

Leslie Lee

Reply from MOH

4 Aug 2012, The Straits Times 

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ambulances will convey patients to the accident and emergency departments of the nearest government restructured hospitals that are currently designated to receive and deal with SCDF emergency ambulance cases ("Why the contradictory choice of hospitals in two emergencies?" by Mr Jonathan Lee, July 25; and "Bugis MRT roof collapse: No contradiction in hospital choice" by Mr Leslie Lee, Tuesday).

In this instance, the eight workers who were injured during the scaffolding collapse incident at the Downtown Line construction site were taken to Raffles Hospital prior to the arrival of SCDF emergency services personnel. 

Bey Mui Leng (Ms)
Director
Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health

Lieutenant-Colonel A. Razak Raheem
Director
Public Affairs Department
Singapore Civil Defence Force