Progress of Enrolment of General Practitioners in Primary Care Network
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the progress of general practitioner (GP) enrolment in the Primary Care Network (PCN) and its impact on chronic disease management, as raised by Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung stated that as of May 2021, 10 PCNs involving 875 GPs were established, meeting the initial target by covering over 50% of Community Health Assist Scheme GP clinics. He noted measurable improvements in chronic care adherence, specifically higher rates of diabetic eye and foot screenings among PCN patients between 2018 and 2019. The Minister also observed that existing patients showed better adherence than new ones, highlighting the benefits of continued care within the network. The Ministry will continue working with PCNs to provide ancillary services like nurse counselling to ensure patients' chronic conditions are well-controlled.
Transcript
80 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the enrolment progress of general practitioners (GPs) under the primary care network (PCN); (b) whether the enrolment rate of GPs in PCN meets the expected target set by the Ministry; and (c) what is the measurable impact of a strong PCN on chronic disease management.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Primary Care Networks, or PCNs, launched in January 2018, are self-organised groupings of GPs coming together to share resources such as coordinators and nurse counsellors. By doing so, they provide core ancillary services important for chronic disease management, such as diabetic eye and foot screening and nurse counselling. As of May 2021, 10 primary care networks (PCNs) have been set up, involving over 600 clinics1 and 875 General Practitioners (GPs). This accounts for more than 50% of Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) GP clinics and meets our initial enrolment target.
Two years after their establishment, we have observed improvements in adherence rates to recommended chronic disease care components. In 2019, 34% of diabetic patients being cared for at PCNs had completed their annual foot screening and 50% had gone for their annual eye screening2, up from 28% and 47% in 2018, respectively. We also found that existing diabetic patients had a better adherence rate compared to new PCN patients3, suggesting that patients who continue care with their PCN clinics receive more regular recommended screenings. We are encouraged by the early results and will work with PCNs to ensure that their patients’ chronic conditions are well-controlled.