Polyclinic Capacity for Walk-In Patients

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1849 
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 8 MAY 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Joan Pereira
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC

Question No. 4427

To ask the Minister for Health whether polyclinics can scale up their capacity to accommodate more walk-in patients with urgent medical conditions, such as those experiencing acute or severe pain, and to avoid turning away senior citizens. 

Answer

1     Our polyclinics take in all patients with appointments. As for walk-in patients without appointments, those requiring urgent medical attention will be attended to, those not requiring urgent medical attention may be asked to book an appointment or seek treatment at a nearby General Practitioner clinic.  

2     We are continuing to expand our network of polyclinics. We opened Bukit Panjang, Eunos, and Kallang Polyclinics in end 2021 and another two polyclinics in Sembawang and Tampines North are slated to open later this year. Khatib Polyclinic will open in 2024, and Serangoon and Tengah Polyclinics in 2025. At the same time, we will work with GP clinics, which play an important role in treating acute diseases at the primary care level too.