Alexandra Hospital to add 1,000 beds in upgrade; NUH to also undergo redevelopment from next year

SINGAPORE: Alexandra Hospital (AH) will be redeveloped into a bigger hospital and handle more patients, with the addition of 1,000 beds.

The National University Hospital (NUH) will also undergo transformation from next year.

These moves are part of the government’s plans to ensure healthcare capacity can support the rising needs of an ageing population, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at the groundbreaking ceremony for AH's redevelopment on Wednesday (May 15). 

BETTER SERVING THE COMMUNITY

The redeveloped AH is expected to open progressively from 2028. Throughout the project, it will continue to operate as usual.

One of the oldest hospitals in Singapore, AH will be expanded to remain relevant to the community.

The redevelopment will preserve the hospital’s rich history, which spans more than 80 years

Three blocks - which currently house clinics, wards, operating theatres and diagnostic imaging - will be conserved, while some artefacts will become part of the new design.

The hospital, originally built by the British in 1938 as the British Military Hospital Singapore, is an important landmark with significant historical and heritage value, said Mr Ong. 

“This redevelopment project will ensure that Alexandra Hospital continues to play a pivotal role in the Queenstown district, just as it has over the last 80-over years,” he added.

“Over the years, it has been collaborating with Queenstown’s active ageing centres, reaching out to as many seniors as possible, promoting preventive health, managing chronic conditions, and enhancing health literacy.”

As part of the redevelopment, there will be a nursing home on the same campus offering about 450 beds. This is to better serve residents in Queenstown, which is home to one of the country's oldest populations. 

UNIQUE CARE APPROACH

When the redevelopment is completed, a new, integrated model of care will also be implemented on a full-scale basis.

Under this model, patients will be able to remain in the same bed after their conditions improve, instead of transferring to a community hospital. They will receive acute and subsequently step-down care tailored to their needs from the same clinical team in the same location.

AH CEO Jason Phua said the unique care approach aims to simplify the “extremely complex” healthcare for patients.

“Our analysis has found that there are strong signals that if we have a one patient, one bed, one care team model, the length of stay is actually shorter than the usual model,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the redevelopment of the NUH campus to meet the western region’s evolving healthcare needs will take more than 10 years. 

Over the years, NUH, which serves as the area’s main emergency and trauma care hospital, has undertaken various campus rejuvenation efforts. This includes the construction of the NUH Medical Centre in 2013, which houses the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore.

While the recently completed buildings will be kept, the old structures will be progressively torn down and rebuilt, said Mr Ong, adding that the works will be done while ensuring minimal disruption to hospital operations. 

“This will likely add more to the hospital capacity, intensify the land use, and also improve the existing road network.”