SINGAPORE - The year 2015 should turn out to be a good year, as far as health care is concerned - barring unexpected developments. In fact, if all goes well, it should be the start of a few good years, as the hard work of the past comes to fruition.

Bed crunch eases

First, the severe bed crunch facing public hospitals should ease this year. The shortage still exists - some hospitals still report 100 per cent occupancy on some days and patients are still being put up in makeshift waiting areas, including corridors.

But this should ease as the year progresses.

The bed crunch was exacerbated last year by the six-month delay in the opening of the 700-bed Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Jurong. It is now scheduled to open by the middle of this year.

Changi General Hospital made good its promise to open the new 280-bed integrated building it shares with St Andrew's Community Hospital by 2014 - but with just 20 beds at the end of last month. By end-January, another 10 beds will be ready. By July, 200 more beds will be up.

With the extra beds from the two hospitals, the load on both the National University Hospital and the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital will be lighter.

In all, there should be a 10 per cent increase in public general hospital beds this year - from more than 7,200 beds to about 8,000 beds - giving all hospitals some breathing space.

Lower costs

Next, the rising cost of health care, especially for older people, will be reined in.

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Health-care jigsaw pieces fall into place