<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Medical delay at airport: SOPs weren't followed
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to last Saturday's letter by Mr Kevin Then, 'Slow medical response at Budget Terminal'. We are sorry to hear of the incident and share his concern that passengers in need of medical assistance should be attended to quickly.
On Nov 1 at about 10pm, before arrival, the pilot of Tiger Airways flight TR 155 had notified its ground handling agent, Singapore Airport Terminal Services (Sats), of a passenger in need of medical attention. According to standard operating procedures (SOPs) established at Changi Airport, Sats should have immediately alerted the airport's medical service provider so that medical personnel would be present to attend to the unwell passenger immediately upon the aircraft's arrival.
However, Sats notified the medical team only at 10.50pm, after the aircraft had arrived. Despite the late notification, the medical team, comprising a doctor and a nurse, rushed to the Budget Terminal in an ambulance and attended to the unwell passenger on board the aircraft at 11pm. The doctor assessed the passenger's medical condition and determined that she required further medical attention at Changi General Hospital (CGH). The passenger was then taken to CGH, accompanied by the medical team. We understand from CGH that the passenger was discharged on Nov 2.
The SOPs for medical response are common for all of Changi Airport's terminals, including the Budget Terminal. It was unfortunate that the SOPs were not followed in this instance. Sats has acknowledged its lapse and counselled its staff involved. It has also briefed all its ground handling crew again on the steps to be taken to manage medical emergencies.
Yeo Kia Thye
Director (Airport Operations)
Changi Airport Group
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to last Saturday's letter by Mr Kevin Then, 'Slow medical response at Budget Terminal'. We are sorry to hear of the incident and share his concern that passengers in need of medical assistance should be attended to quickly.
On Nov 1 at about 10pm, before arrival, the pilot of Tiger Airways flight TR 155 had notified its ground handling agent, Singapore Airport Terminal Services (Sats), of a passenger in need of medical attention. According to standard operating procedures (SOPs) established at Changi Airport, Sats should have immediately alerted the airport's medical service provider so that medical personnel would be present to attend to the unwell passenger immediately upon the aircraft's arrival.
However, Sats notified the medical team only at 10.50pm, after the aircraft had arrived. Despite the late notification, the medical team, comprising a doctor and a nurse, rushed to the Budget Terminal in an ambulance and attended to the unwell passenger on board the aircraft at 11pm. The doctor assessed the passenger's medical condition and determined that she required further medical attention at Changi General Hospital (CGH). The passenger was then taken to CGH, accompanied by the medical team. We understand from CGH that the passenger was discharged on Nov 2.
The SOPs for medical response are common for all of Changi Airport's terminals, including the Budget Terminal. It was unfortunate that the SOPs were not followed in this instance. Sats has acknowledged its lapse and counselled its staff involved. It has also briefed all its ground handling crew again on the steps to be taken to manage medical emergencies.
Yeo Kia Thye
Director (Airport Operations)
Changi Airport Group
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