SPEECH BY ER DR LEE BEE WAH, MP FOR NEE SOON GRC, AT THE 2ND READING OF THE HEALTHCARE SERVICES BILL IN PARLIAMENT
Mr Speaker Sir,
With the rise in demand for various healthcare services and the rapidly changing landscape in medicine, it is indeed timely that this Bill is introduced. This is especially with the growing number of elderly persons in our population which would increase the demand for certain services.
I note that the Bill would introduce a services-based licensing regime to replace the one that is premises-based licensing.
Overall, I hope Minister can tell this House how these changes will impact on healthcare services in terms of operating cost, because invariably this cost may be passed on the consumers?
I would like to ask if the Ministry is reviewing all persons who are current key appointment holders in the private healthcare setting to ensure that they are qualified persons under the new Bill?
Since the licensing will be services-based, should the Ministry require all licensed persons in a healthcare premise to display a photograph alongside their licence so that patients know who is
who?
With the proliferation of new healthcare services, how do we ensure that patients are only treated by qualified persons? Should we educate patients to always ask to see a license? For example if they are doing medical consultations online, or if they are being treated by someone other than a doctor or nurse such as a technician operating certain equipment. Or if they are getting their blood drawn by someone who goes clinic to clinic- whose responsibility is it to check for a valid licence- the clinic or the patient?
I would also like to ask how the Ministry views someone who, for example, holds a doctorate in liberal arts but subsequently takes up say physiotherapy but use his title Dr so and so. This may create a misimpression that he is a medical doctor. How do we prevent such misconceptions?
Thank you Mr Speaker. I support the Bill.
In Chinese please. 现在的医疗服务日益复杂，因此这项法案要把以地点为基础的医疗服务准证换成以个别服务为基础，方向是对的。但是这项法案对于医疗业者的成本有什么影响，毕竟羊毛出在羊身上，成本很多时候都会转嫁给病人？
我也想问，我们如何确保病人都知道，为自己服务的医疗人员是否有准证？
是不是所有的医疗人员，都得展示附上照片的准证？如果病人在网上问诊，或者由不是医生护士的人员服务，他们是否应该先检查对方的准证？
请部长回答，我支持这项法案，谢谢。