Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether there are plans to expand the Dementia Go-To Point network and its related public awareness initiatives to support the expedient safe return of persons with disabilities, such as children with autism, who may be similarly disoriented or lost in the community.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Dementia Go-To Points (GTPs) serve as designated safe-return points for persons living with dementia who may be found wandering in the community. Trained staff at GTPs will assist in safely reuniting lost individuals with their families. Additionally, the public can obtain educational resources on dementia at GTPs.

For persons with disabilities, their caregivers can apply for a Developmental Disability Registry (DDR) Identity Card. If a person with autism or special needs goes missing, their caregiver should make a Police report. The DDR card contains information of cardholders' caregivers and the social service agencies they are receiving services at, enabling the public to help them return safely if they are disoriented or lost in the community.

The initiatives described are designed to meet the distinct needs of their respective target groups.  

Link to Hansard: Link

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) for each year since 2022, what is (i) the total number of land-based medical repatriations of Singapore citizens in critical care from our borders with Malaysia and the (ii) average waiting time for these transfers; and (b) what is the progress update on the implementation of the Foreign Private Ambulance Operators Accreditation scheme.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not track cross-border land-based Emergency Ambulance conveyances and the average waiting time for such transfers.

MOH is currently working with relevant agencies to assess the feasibility of a potential accreditation scheme for foreign private ambulance operators.

Link to Hansard: Link