Ren Ci Hospital to add 60% more beds over next 2 years

Ren Ci Hospital to add 60% more beds over next 2 years
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 22 March 2013 2034 hrs
     
SINGAPORE: Ren Ci Hospital will meet the rising care needs of the ageing population by increasing the number of beds by more than 60 per cent over the next two years.

Currently, it has 502 beds at its three facilities - a nursing home in Moulmein, a long-term care facility in Buangkok and a community hospital next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

By 2015, Ren Ci Hospital will increase the number of beds to 811.

Chua Thian Poh, chairman of the hospital, said: "I think Ren Ci has to step up because our nursing home has 100 percent occupancy rate and our long-term care and community hospital is over 90 percent occupied. To meet demand, I think we have to, with the support from the MOH, from the donors, from the volunteers, I think that it's possible for Ren Ci to grow and reach out to the needy and seniors in our community."

It said the extra beds will come from converting existing office space at the community hospital into hospital wards, the return of four wards by Singapore Christian Home at Ren Ci's Moulmein nursing home and from a new 265-bed nursing home that is currently being set up in Bukit Batok.

Mr Chua said that renovation work at the community hospital and the nursing home in Moulmein will cost between S$10 and S$11 million.

Besides increasing bed capacity, Ren Ci Hospital is also working to expand its range of care services for the community.

A new day rehabilitation centre will be introduced at its community hospital from April to continue to care for patients who have been discharged.

The expansion plans were announced at the hospital's charity dinner on Friday.

- CNA/xq

- wong chee tat :)