Ensuring Good Distribution of GP Clinics Offering 24-hour and After-office Hours Services

48 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will look into ensuring that there is a good distribution of general practitioner (GP) clinics which offer 24-hour and after-office hours services across constituencies and precincts, so that there is affordable and accessible after-hours GP assistance instead of taxing on acute hospital services.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: There are more than 1,300 general practitioner (GP) clinics in Singapore, which are on the Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS) and where Singapore Citizens can enjoy subsidies when receiving medical care.

Currently, about 500 CHAS GP clinics operate after-office hours, with 20 operating 24 hours. Extended operating hours is however a business decision made by the private GP clinics and not a Ministry of Health (MOH) planning parameter. Residents in need of affordable and accessible services may search for clinics via https://www.chas.sg/clinic-locator for clinics near them and the clinics’ opening hours.