995 calls to go to medical triage helpline for non-life-threatening cases from June 1 under trial

[yperic]

The triage helpline, known as NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them to the appropriate treatment option.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

SINGAPORE - From June 1, callers using the emergency 995 hotline for non-life threatening conditions will be transferred to a medical triage helpline under a 6-month trial.

The triage helpline, known as NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them to the appropriate treatment option, said the Health and Home Affairs ministries in a joint statement on May 30.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Woodlands Health will pilot the trial, which is aimed at helping the SCDF prioritise timely responses to critical emergencies and public hospital emergency departments to focus resources on patients in need of urgent care.

Similar helplines are already in use in countries like Britain, Japan, Denmark and Finland.

SCDF has had to grapple with the rapid rise in demand for its emergency medical services over the last few years, the statement said.

In 2024, it responded to over 245,000 995 calls, averaging 672 a day - a 57 per cent increase from 2014.

The partnership with NurseFirst’s helpline will help trim the dispatch of ambulances for non-emergency cases, enabling SCDF and hospital resources to focus on life-threatening cases like cardiac arrest or breathing difficulties, the statement added.

NurseFirst helpline, operated by Woodlands Health, launched as a pilot in northern Singapore in 2022, with funding from MOH.

From June, its services will be expanded to serve callers islandwide from 8am to 11pm daily.

Trained nurses with medical oversight from emergency physicians will assess callers’ symptoms and direct them to alternative care options in case of non-life threatening conditions, like a general practitioner.

An SCDF officer will share key patient details with the nurse on the helpline before transferring calls.

Beyond NurseFirst’s operating hours, the usual SCDF protocols will apply, even in non-emergency situations, the statement said.

Non-life threatening conditions include headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, and strains and sprains.

The public is also encouraged to call the NurseFirst helpline directly at 62626262 when not in a medical emergency, for timely medical advice at no cost.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...e-threatening-cases-from-june-1-under-6-month

 

[dambio]

Tis is good. Dun let non emergency cases hold up those real 1s.

 

[Spectre007]

so if chiu got urgent case, better to call before 8am or after 11pm. hokay noted.

 

[bombshell]

Next is need to re-divert all the chao keng kia si ppl away from A&E

 

[articland05]

i always assume the operator will ask for patient condition first before deploy ambulance?

 

[articland05]

all these GPFirst and NurseFirst only temp measures nia...long term how?

 

[Mr.Chibaboom]

Provided your nursefirst nurses are well trained and not some nurses from some degree mill can liao if not it’s gonna make things worsesince nowadays shortage of nurses are already worsening since covid. They would just take in anyone

 

[RockiePillow]

Next is need to re-divert all the chao keng kia si ppl away from A&E

Divert all the chao keng kia to cmpb medical officer and let trainee medics draw their blood for testing

 

[blackie83]

If outsource to private and charge if non emergency rates they calls won’t be so high

 

[cyke69sg]

copy Alberta 811 Health Link.

 

[sAVaGEmP5]

Yeah finally more urgent cases got hope.

Oh wait now non emergency cases will bluff their way to get ambulance. Quote me first.

 

[BBClone]

So our healthcare infrastructure cannot take it liao la, have to stratify calls for SCDF before they will come down.

But guess what? There’s no perfect solution.

This additional layer of triage will take up time, precious minutes of that golden hour for critically ill patients.

65% voted for population overload, I don’t want to hear any more complaints.

 

[agndessy]

Lol wtf! They think the callers is medically trained?

A small symptom like giddy and nausea could be emergency too!

Just like my mum giddy and nausea visiting doctors twice was no use, Ended up take grab go hospital check its thyroid and warded in ICU

 

[stoney]

So our healthcare infrastructure cannot take it liao la, have to stratify for SCDF before they will come down.

But guess what? There’s no perfect solution.

This additional layer of triage will take up time, precious minutes of that golden hour for critically ill patients.

65% voted for population overload, I don’t want to hear any more complaints.

While population increase can attribute to higher calls. There are alot of Kia see non emergency cases. Just take a seat at hospital a&e you will know. People are scrolling TikTok and playing games while waiting to be seen by doc. If you are dying already, scrolling TikTok is the last thing on your mind

This initiative is good to filter away non emergency cases

 

[agndessy]

While population increase can attribute to higher calls. There are alot of Kia see non emergency cases. Just take a seat at hospital a&e you will know. People are scrolling TikTok and playing games while waiting to be seen by doc. If you are dying already, scrolling TikTok is the last thing on your mind

This initiative is good to filter away non emergency cases

Its double edged sword. It will accidentally filter away emergency cases too.

 

[stoney]

Its double edged sword. It will accidentally filter away emergency cases too.

There is a possibility but better do something than to remain status quo. If any of your family members are hit with real emergency cases like cardiac arrest, you want Scdf ambulance to be available and reach your home asap and not engaged in ferrying some joker scrolling TikTok in the ambulance

 

[rider83]

The triage helpline, known as NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them to the appropriate treatment option.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

SINGAPORE - From June 1, callers using the emergency 995 hotline for non-life threatening conditions will be transferred to a medical triage helpline under a 6-month trial.

The triage helpline, known as NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them to the appropriate treatment option, said the Health and Home Affairs ministries in a joint statement on May 30.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Woodlands Health will pilot the trial, which is aimed at helping the SCDF prioritise timely responses to critical emergencies and public hospital emergency departments to focus resources on patients in need of urgent care.

Similar helplines are already in use in countries like Britain, Japan, Denmark and Finland.

SCDF has had to grapple with the rapid rise in demand for its emergency medical services over the last few years, the statement said.

In 2024, it responded to over 245,000 995 calls, averaging 672 a day - a 57 per cent increase from 2014.

The partnership with NurseFirst’s helpline will help trim the dispatch of ambulances for non-emergency cases, enabling SCDF and hospital resources to focus on life-threatening cases like cardiac arrest or breathing difficulties, the statement added.

NurseFirst helpline, operated by Woodlands Health, launched as a pilot in northern Singapore in 2022, with funding from MOH.

From June, its services will be expanded to serve callers islandwide from 8am to 11pm daily.

Trained nurses with medical oversight from emergency physicians will assess callers’ symptoms and direct them to alternative care options in case of non-life threatening conditions, like a general practitioner.

An SCDF officer will share key patient details with the nurse on the helpline before transferring calls.

Beyond NurseFirst’s operating hours, the usual SCDF protocols will apply, even in non-emergency situations, the statement said.

Non-life threatening conditions include headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, and strains and sprains.

The public is also encouraged to call the NurseFirst helpline directly at 62626262 when not in a medical emergency, for timely medical advice at no cost.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...e-threatening-cases-from-june-1-under-6-month

Finally something that makes sense!

 

[0218crawford]

if u have thousands of kamikaze JHK bikes pouring into SG daily and many of them terrorizing SG roads doing the 3S - splitting, sleeping and speeding and getting into all sorts of accidents, where got enough emergency folks for other emergencies?

 

[RockiePillow]

While population increase can attribute to higher calls. There are alot of Kia see non emergency cases. Just take a seat at hospital a&e you will know. People are scrolling TikTok and playing games while waiting to be seen by doc. If you are dying already, scrolling TikTok is the last thing on your mind

This initiative is good to filter away non emergency cases

Got encounter one such case just recently. Complained bleeding and giddiness insisted want to see doctor asap but can stand at counter kpkb for the whole 20 minutes about the toilet inside got no toilet paper.

 

[Meteor84]

next thing sg needs to do is to have 24 hours polyclinics to serve medical non-emergencies.