As part of the overhaul, the regional hospitals - Changi General Hospital (CGH), Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun - will be given more autonomy in the day-to-day running. They will also manage a few polyclinics in their vicinity, said the minister.

CGH's parent group Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) will focus on running Singapore General Hospital and the Outram medical research campus, as well as KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

The other public health group - the National Healthcare Group (NHG) - will continue to run Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the Institute of Mental Health and also some polyclinics in the area.

The National University Hospital, under NHG, is already being run together with the medical school at the National University Hospital autonomously by a board.

The changes will allow each hospital to focus its energies on improving the health care standard in its own region, said Mr Khaw, speaking to reporters after viewing a documentary on a Chinese plague fighter which premiered here on Thursday.

He said they will also lead to better competition, division of labour and cost management.

Mr Khaw said that the changes will be made gradually, and that details have yet to be worked out.