Investigation into Case Involving Expectant Mother Losing Her Child after Being Allegedly Left Unattended at Emergency Department of NUH

The following question stood in the name of Ms Hazel Poa –

5 To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the result of the investigation into the case involving an expectant mother losing her child after being left unattended for a long time at the emergency department of the National University Hospital (NUH); (b) whether there are any previous similar cases; and (c) what steps will be taken to prevent future recurrence and to address the wider problem of overload situation at hospitals’ emergency departments.

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Question No 5, please.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, my answer will address Question No 5 from Ms Hazel Poa from today's Order Paper and also similar related questions raised by Ms Ng Ling Ling¹, Mr Edward Chia² and Dr Wan Rizal^3,4.

It was with a heavy heart that I read about the unfortunate incident that happened at National University Hospital (NUH) two weeks ago. I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family for their tragic loss. The couple has had discussions with the NUH team and the matter has since been closed between the two parties.

The family had put up a social media post recently acknowledging this and further acknowledged that the mother had not been left unattended for two hours. Indeed, she received attention and care from the NUH Emergency Department (ED) team from the time that she arrived. They further noted that the sad and unfortunate outcome of the pregnancy was not the result of her experience at the hospital. Out of respect for the couple's request for privacy and confidentiality reasons, I will not go into details of the case.

NUH has investigated the matter thoroughly and reviewed their processes, in consultation with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Director of Medical Services. Their clinical care processes are appropriate, but there were some areas for improved communications and the coordination for transfers between the ED and the Delivery Suite. NUH has implemented these improvements.

COVID-19 has resulted in the public hospitals' EDs facing very high demands and our healthcare workers have been working continuously to attend to all patients with COVID-19 and those with non-COVID-19 conditions. All patients will be triaged based on presenting history, symptoms and clinical parameters so that those with life-threatening conditions are prioritised. No patient will be denied care.

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all healthcare workers for their professionalism and dedication in caring for all their patients.

Mr Speaker: Mr Edward Chia.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. The Singaporean couple at the heart of the matter are, actually, residents of Zhenghua. As their Member of Parliament, I have communicated with them on several occasions and having to cremate one's child is an emotional journey for any parent. The father told me that it was never his intention to cast any blame on the hospital or the healthcare workers when he posted on social media. His intention was to really seek answers for the two hours of wait time that he and his wife experienced at the A&E.

It was so because he was unable to seek answers or any response over a period of five days and this included the time when his wife was being treated at a high dependency ward. He finally got a response from a patient care officer when his post went viral. Therefore, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, following this incident and with the objective of improving protocols, would MOH be assessing how hospitals should improve the provision of critical information to patients in a timely manner with empathy? I do believe that greater transparency will strengthen the trust that Singaporeans already have in our healthcare institutions.

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Mr Edward Chia for the question. Notwithstanding the findings that the clinical care processes were appropriate and not contributing to the outcome, the NUH team did, indeed, look through how they performed their communication, how they provided the information that was available to reassure and inform the couple. And, indeed, there were ways in which they could improve that, they recognised this and they have already instituted changes to the processes to make sure that information is provided in a timely manner and done so in a way that is more acceptable to the patients and their families. And this process review was done in consultation with MOH and the Director of Medical Services. The lessons will be learnt and shared across our healthcare system.

Mr Speaker: Dr Janil Puthucheary, you mentioned about the question raised by Ms Ng Ling Ling earlier. Which question is that, for our record purposes?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, the questions filed by Ms Ng Ling Ling, Mr Edward Chia and Dr Wan Rizal have been scheduled for subsequent Sittings.

Mr Speaker: Thank you. Dr Wan Rizal.

Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for that. My concern is really for the healthcare workers who were involved in this unfortunate incident, because when this news went viral, clearly, they were the first in line to be blamed. My question is: how could we better protect them in the future when these things happen again? Because, apparently, it was not the first; there was a subsequent incident where healthcare workers were blamed. What can we do to protect them in the future in this regard?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I thank Dr Wan Rizal for the question. Adverse incidents will happen in these complex, high-risk and high-intensity situations. And when they do, everybody feels bad, it is a tragic outcome from an emotive empathy point of view. Anybody hearing about it feels lost, feels sympathy. If you are potentially the healthcare worker involved, you worry about the care that you delivered, whether you have made an error, whether your team has allowed something to happen, when the allegation is made.

However, all of these allegations and comments do need to be investigated. I think we should not take the view that somehow, we should not look into them. We should look into them. We must investigate the process because that is our duty to the patients and the families that we care for. And the best protection then for healthcare workers is quick and thorough establishing of the facts that are involved and to do so in a way that involves the healthcare worker, systematically and professionally.

The processes to investigate and follow up on incidents, such as these, are well-known to our healthcare system and healthcare staff. Nevertheless, it can be taxing and draining on the healthcare workers who are involved, and we have services that are available for counselling and psychological support for the healthcare workers that are within the system and are working in these situations.

At root, however, it would be helpful if, when allegations and incidents are raised, that these are based on facts rather than speculation.