Forum: Neighbours can help senior citizens book their polyclinic appointments

I refer to the news article on senior citizens having difficulties making polyclinic appointments (MOH to work on improving accessibility to polyclinic appointments: Janil, July 5).

Here’s a simple solution.

Some years back, I went around the neighbourhood to identify senior citizens who do not have Internet access or have problems using their phone because of language
difficulties.

I offered to make appointments for one senior couple – all they had to do was call me and I would set up the appointments for them. I have been helping this couple and their caregiver make polyclinic and dental appointments for the past eight years.

If there is any difficulty getting volunteers to do this, may I suggest that the Government assign this function to residents’ committee (RC) members?

If each RC member can handle one HDB block, this will help solve the booking problem. Also, the administrator of each rental block can do the same for residents in these blocks.

By doing this, we can gradually become a “welfare society” (Singapore should not be a welfare state but a welfare society: Tharman, July 8).

At the same time, there is no need to change the current booking system at the Ministry of Health.

Ow Hoe Hong