Trend and Waiting Times for Nursing Home Admission for General Care, Psychiatric Care and Intellectual Disability

35 Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has data on the five-year trend and current waiting times for entry into nursing homes, including stratification of the waiting times for nursing homes that are able to support patients with general care needs, psychiatric care needs and intellectual disability specifically.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: My response will also address the written question filed by Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi for the subsequent Sitting. [Please refer to "Data on Trends and Waiting Times for Entry Into Nursing Homes for Respite Care and Night Respite Services", Official Report, 7 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 139, Written Answers to Questions section.]

The median wait time for a nursing home bed for general care needs has remained stable, at around one month for the past five years. Over the same period, the median wait time for a nursing home bed for psychiatric care needs is around two to four months.

Service providers have generally been able to place clients into nursing home respite and night respite services upon request. As caregivers submit requests for service with different lead times, wait times for nursing home respite and respite services are not meaningful.