SCDF’s procedures for verifying identity of patients prior to conveying them to hospitals

Question:

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the standard operating procedures for Singapore Civil Defence Force emergency medical services personnel regarding identity verification of patients prior to hospital conveyance; (b) how the Ministry monitors and enforces compliance with the policy that patient care takes priority over administrative procedures; and (c) whether administrative documentation checks can be completely deferred during attendance to life-threatening medical emergencies.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. Patient identification enables access to crucial information such as medical history and drug allergies, which can facilitate prompt and effective medical interventions, including in life-threatening medical emergencies. That said, in all emergencies, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics are trained to prioritise patient care and hospital conveyance, and to exercise flexibility with regard to procedural requirements.

2. SCDF reinforces this through the formal certification and refresher training of its emergency medical personnel. To ensure accountability and adherence to operational standards, SCDF conducts regular audits, reviews body-worn camera footage, and investigates all feedback received. While this training is standard across all SCDF paramedics, there was a recent case in which a paramedic had informed a patient’s family member that formal identification was required before the patient could be conveyed to hospital. Following this incident, SCDF has reiterated to all paramedics that patient care and timely hospital conveyance must always take precedence over administrative procedures.