Raffles Hospital not for multiple trauma cases

15 May 2012, The Straits Times

Why weren't crash victims taken to nearest hospital?

Last Saturday's three-way collision ('2 dead, 3 injured in three-way Bugis crash', Sunday; and 'Cabby in crash with Ferrari dies'; yesterday) occurred almost at the doorstep of Raffles Hospital.

Considering the seriousness of the injuries, why were the casualties not taken to the nearest hospital, even if it was a private one like Raffles, rather than to the Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital farther away?

When lives are involved, policies should not be strictly adhered to without some flexibility.

Paramedics should be allowed to make the right call in serious accidents, like the one involving the Ferrari, a taxi and a motorcycle.

In emergencies, a few minutes could mean the difference between life and death.

Private hospitals should also be willing to forgo profits in such life-and-death emergencies.

The relevant authorities should review their ambulance policies.

Shirley Woon (Madam)

Joint Reply from MOH and SCDF

21 May 2012, The Straits Times

Raffles Hospital not for multiple trauma cases

Madam Shirley Woon asked why the victims in the recent three-way Bugis crash were not taken to Raffles Hospital, but to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), which are farther away ('Why weren't crash victims taken to nearest hospital?'; last Tuesday).

For severe and multiple trauma patients, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) emergency ambulance will take them to the nearest accident and emergency department that is equipped to deal with such complexities of care.

In the accident referred to by Madam Woon, while Raffles Hospital is located close to the accident site, it is not equipped to deal with multiple trauma cases, and thus the SCDF had to take the patients to SGH and TTSH, which were the nearest fully equipped facilities to deal with such emergencies.

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

Colonel Yazid Abdullah
Director, Public Affairs Department
Singapore Civil Defence Force