995 calls for non-life-threatening cases to be referred to triage helpline from June 1 under new trial
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The triage helpline, known as NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them to appropriate treatment options.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
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SINGAPORE - From June 1, callers using the emergency 995 hotline for non-life-threatening conditions will be transferred to a medical triage helpline under a six-month trial.
The triage helpline, NurseFirst, will be manned by trained nurses who will advise callers on their symptoms and guide them towards the appropriate treatment options, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a joint statement on May 30.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Woodlands Health will pilot the trial, which is aimed at helping the SCDF prioritise timely responses to critical emergencies and public hospital emergency departments to focus resources on patients in need of urgent care.
Helplines similar to NurseFirst are already in use in countries like Britain, Japan, Denmark and Finland.
SCDF has had to manage rapidly climbing demand for emergency medical services over the years, the statement said. In 2024, it responded to over 245,000 calls to 995, averaging 672 a day – a 57 per cent increase from 2014.
The partnership with NurseFirst will curb the number of patients taken to emergency departments, enabling SCDF and hospital resources to focus on life-threatening cases like cardiac arrest or breathing difficulties, the statement added.
NurseFirst, operated by Woodlands Health, launched as a medical triage helpline pilot in northern Singapore in 2022, with funding from MOH.
For six months starting from June, its services will be expanded to serve callers islandwide from 8am to 11pm daily.
Trained nurses with medical oversight from emergency physicians will assess callers’ symptoms and direct cases of non-life-threatening conditions to the nearest alternative care options, like a general practitioner.
Follow-up actions can also include advising the caller to opt for a non-emergency ambulance and other self-care steps, the statement said.
Non-life-threatening conditions include headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, and strains and sprains.
An SCDF officer will share key patient details with the nurse on the helpline before transferring the call.
If the caller’s condition deteriorates while speaking to the nurse on the helpline, SCDF will be asked immediately to send an ambulance.
The SCDF and Woodlands Health will monitor the trial – supported by MOH and MHA, and assess if it should be extended.
Beyond NurseFirst’s operating hours, the existing SCDF protocols will apply, even in non-emergency situations, the statement said.
Members of the public are also encouraged to call the NurseFirst helpline directly on 6262-6262 when it is not a medical emergency, to receive timely medical advice at no cost.
Mild to moderate cold or flu symptoms, cuts or open wounds with no ongoing bleeding, and nosebleeds can also qualify for referral to the NurseFirst helpline, the statement said.
Minor allergic reactions, sore eyes or contact lens irritation, animal bites without allergic symptoms and bleeding, resolved choking episodes without active symptoms, and minor burns affecting less than 15 per cent of the body’s surface area are also non-emergencies that can be directed to the NurseFirst helpline.
