Streamlining and Enhancing Palliative Care Process across Healthcare Continuum
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Yip Hon Weng’s inquiry on streamlining palliative care and simplifying hospital discharge processes to support patients' preferences for their final moments. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung responded that the Ministry is establishing protocols for early identification of palliative needs and expanding capacity in homes, hospices, and nursing homes. He highlighted partnerships with the Agency for Integrated Care, Singapore Hospice Council, and Health Promotion Board to raise awareness through Advance Care Planning. The Ministry is also bringing palliative care into nursing homes and improving transitions across the healthcare continuum to ensure capability in all settings. Lastly, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung noted that discharge processes are being reviewed to enhance home-based care and provide additional respite services for caregivers.
Transcript
9 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the Ministry's plans to streamline and enhance the palliative care process across the healthcare continuum; (b) how will the Ministry facilitate closer partnership between Health Promotion Board, Agency for Integrated Care, the Singapore Hospice Council and other organisations with expertise on hospice and palliative care to enhance the local palliative care landscape; and (c) how will hospital discharge processes be simplified with the goal of making it easier for patients to be in their preferred environment in their final moments.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: To enhance the palliative care process, MOH works with healthcare providers on protocols for the early identification of patients with palliative care needs. Patients can then receive care in the appropriate setting (for example, at home, in a day hospice, an inpatient hospice or a nursing home) and transfer between these settings as required. To support this, we are building both capacity and capabilities in all the various settings. This includes bringing palliative care into nursing homes.
MOH also works closely with Agency for Integrated Care, Singapore Hospice Council, and the Health Promotion Board to raise awareness of end-of-life (EOL) issues through the national Advance Care Planning programme, sharing EOL caregiving resources and public communications and engagement efforts, such as events and roadshows.
MOH is reviewing how to further improve hospital discharge processes for palliative care at home. This includes increasing support and respite services for caregivers.