SPEECH BY MINISTER ONG YE KUNG AT THE LAUNCH OF HEALTHCITY NOVENA MASTER PLAN 2030 AND BEYOND

Mr Tan Tee How, Chairman, NHG Health

Professor Joe Sim, Group Chief Executive Officer, NHG Health

Adjunct Professor Tang Kong Choong, Chief Executive Officer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, NHG Health

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen 

1.           I am very happy to join you today for today’s launch. I think it is a very exciting milestone for the hospital. We are launching the second phase of the development of HealthCity Novena Master Plan.

From ‘Orh Sai’ to HealthCity

2.           Let me go a little bit more into detail about this whole master plan. It started in 1909, more than a century ago – Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was moved to Moulmein Road where it is today. Around that time, the Communicable Disease Centre 1 (CDC 1) was also built. 

3.           CDC 1 was more affectionately known as “orh sai”, which means “black lion” because of the iconic emblem at the front gate. In the 1950s, five six-storey ward blocks were added as general wards in the campus. In 2003, the additions became a new SARS wing, also known as CDC 2.  

4.           The TTSH campus has since gone through many rounds of upgrading and refurbishment. However, as the Singapore population grows older and the healthcare needs of our population become more complex, we need more than just a refresh of ageing facilities, but a major revamp and re-imagining of the value and offerings of the entire campus.

5.           Therefore, in 2013, MOH, TTSH and NHG embarked on a bold plan – to intensify this 17 hectares of land, and transform Novena campus into an integrated, future-ready healthcare ecosystem. We call this new campus HealthCity Novena.

6.           The new campus must serve a few objectives. First, it must be able to support new models of care and workflows to meet emerging healthcare needs. Second, it needs to be able to deal with future pandemics more effectively, and every pandemic is going to be different. Third, it must also support the future development of medical education, research and innovation. Finally, it must embrace its surroundings, be inviting to the public, and connected to communities outside of the campus.

Distinct Features of Phase 1 Developments

7.           More than a decade after the launch of HealthCity Novena, the first phase of the Master Plan has been completed. There are a few distinctive features. Let me list them.

8.           First, the new National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), which has really strengthened our management of infectious diseases.  

9.           Historically, TTSH has been known for tuberculosis treatment and played a critical role in managing infectious disease outbreaks, including SARS in 2003 and H1N1 in 2009. The new NCID  has 330 beds, and was opened in 2019, just in time for COVID-19. We didn’t plan it, but luckily, it was open before COVID-19 and it was instrumental in our management of the pandemic.

10.        The second major feature is the investment in innovation and education through the Ng Teng Fong Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI) and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine's (LKCMedicine) Clinical Sciences Building.

11.        The two developments, together with NHG Health and TTSH, form a vibrant academic health system. This is where clinicians, researchers and industry partners collaborate and test-bed new models of care. CHI’s Innomatch platform brings together start-ups and hospitals to develop breakthrough medical solutions. 

12.        The third feature, more seamless care through the TTSH Integrated Care Hub (TTSH ICH). Patients now are able to experience smoother transition from acute care to rehabilitative care before returning home.

13.        Unfortunately, there will always be patients whose conditions are terminal. The TTSH ICH therefore also houses Dover Park Hospice (DPH), which delivers palliative care for end-of-life patients. This integration of services within ICH has allowed TTSH and DPH to collaborate closely and support these patients. This partnership has helped fulfil the wishes of many patients. We should continue to push the envelope with palliative care.

14.        The final feature is that we renewed existing facilities. The new National Skin Centre which opened in 2023 doubled its capacity and has seen a 30% reduction in median wait time for appointments from 50 to 34 days.

Phase 2 – Another Leap Forward

15.        Today, having completed Phase 1, we are launching the next phase of the Master Plan, which builds upon the achievements of Phase 1.

16.        Phase 2 will introduce new healthcare facilities, enhanced capacity, innovate processes to ensure better patient flow. Very importantly, it will add life and vibrancy to the campus, through healing spaces, green corridors and walking trails to connect the campus internally and with its external surroundings.

17.        The centrepiece of the Phase 2 Master Plan is the proposed TTSH Medical Tower. It will be built on the existing CDC 2 and Annex 2 building sites. This proposed Medical Tower will expand acute care capacity at a critical time when demand for secondary care is growing. It is envisaged to add around 600 acute beds and additional specialist outpatient clinics to TTSH. 

18.        The proposed Medical Tower will also be designed for greater efficiency, with streamlined care pathways, more targeted treatments and faster recoveries. For example, there is now an opportunity to shift the Emergency Department to a larger, purpose-built premises within the Medical Tower.

19.        If we do so, the Emergency Department could have direct access to operating theatres, specialist outpatient clinics and procedural suites for faster triage. There will be shorter transfers between care services, from acute hospital to step down care to discharge.

20.        Learning from our experiences with developing Woodlands Health and Eastern General campuses, the proposed TTSH Medical Tower will adopt standardised design principles so we can enhance construction efficiency and complete it faster. You don’t need ten years. Try to do it hopefully in half the time.

21.        To facilitate the building of the proposed TTSH Medical Tower, existing specialist outpatient clinics, laboratories and offices from the CDC 2 and Annex 2 buildings will be moved to a temporary facility at the former Pavilion Wards, known as the “Siberian Wards”.

22.        However, not all the Pavilion Wards will need to give way for this temporary facility. After extensive discussion with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, we will retain one of the Pavilion Wards – Block 505, and incorporate it into the new development. It will remind future generations of how far we have come, and how care has evolved.

23.        When the Phase 2 masterplan is completed, there will be three spaces in the TTSH Campus: the Specialist, Community and Future HealthSpaces, each with its distinctive character, while working in harmony with the rest of the campus.

Conclusion 

24.        For almost two centuries, TTSH has stood as a major public healthcare institution of Singapore. From modest beginnings, from “orh sai”, it has now evolved into a leading multi-disciplinary and internationally reputable hospital, empowering Singaporeans to lead healthier lives, through innovative care and research and clinical excellence.

25.        The HealthCity Novena Master Plan is not just about the transformation of TTSH, but also the evolution of healthcare in Singapore. I thank NHG Health’s board, TTSH’s staff members and volunteers for your hard work over the years. I look forward to seeing this vision of HealthSpaces of the future become reality.

26.        Thank you.