SINGAPORE — A new hospital at Bedok North will be ready "around 2030", said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Nov 13).

The new hospital, which will be operated by SingHealth, will be an integrated general and community hospital.

It will be located next to the Bedok North MRT station, bounded by Bedok Reservoir Road and Bedok North Road.

MOH first announced its plans to build the new integrated hospital in the eastern part of Singapore during the Committee of Supply debate in March 2020.

The general hospital will provide emergency services, inpatient and specialist outpatient services catering to the needs of the community, said MOH.

The community hospital will provide intermediate services such as rehabilitation and sub-acute care to support patients discharged from the general hospital.

MOH will call for tenders over the coming weeks to appoint project consultants to plan and design the new integrated hospital at Bedok North.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced the location of the new hospital while visiting Outram Community Hospital on Friday.

"Even as we battle the Covid-19 pandemic, we also need to continue to focus on our longer term healthcare needs," said Mr Gan. 

"That is why we are continuing with our capacity building programme to ensure there is sufficient excess capacity to meet the needs of our patients, going forward."

Mr Gan referenced Singapore's ageing population, particularly in the east, with Changi General Hospital being the only hospital there.

"The addition of this new general hospital in Bedok North will help to add capacity and help to add capability.

"So I am looking forward to the two of them working together to serve our residents in the east, and we hope that the hospital will be ready by around 2030, and we will then begin to progressively open thereafter."

MOH said that it, alongside SingHealth, will engage the local community to co-create ideas on how the new hospital can better meet the needs of the community, with more details shared when available.

"The co-location of the general hospital and community hospital is part of our shift towards a more patient-centric, multidisciplinary approach to provide seamless care to patients," said MOH. 

"This is similar to other acute and community hospitals co-located at the same site, including Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Ren Ci Community Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital, as well as Singapore General Hospital and Outram Community Hospital."

Member of Parliament for Aljunied Mr Pritam Singh, who oversees Eunos within the Group Representation Constituency, said residents in the area will be “very well-served” with the addition of the hospital.

“Combined with the opening of the Kaki Bukit Polyclinic in the second half of 2024 as announced earlier close to the Kaki Bukit MRT station, the medical needs of Eunos residents will be very well-served in the years to come,” said the Workers’ Party chief on Facebook. CNA

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