Copyright channelnewsasia
SINGAPORE: Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Tuesday (Oct 21) defended the actions of a clinical team that attended to one of its patients, after the woman claimed that she was mistreated in an incident at the hospital. "We are aware of recent online posts by a patient alleging that her treatment at our hospital was insensitive and inappropriate. We take the allegations seriously," the hospital said in a Facebook post. "Our clinical team's actions were guided by our foremost duty to ensure the safety and well-being of the patient. "Our team acted swiftly, responsibly and out of genuine concern to protect the patient under the circumstances." The woman had alleged in a series of Facebook posts that she had been restrained and forcibly injected with an unknown substance on Oct 10, while she was warded at the hospital. She also claimed that she was not allowed to contact her husband and was subsequently sent to the Institute of Mental Health against her will. She said that a team of about 10 people, comprising hospital employees and auxiliary police officers, had been involved in the incident. The woman filed a police report over the incident on Oct 18 and posted an image of the report on Facebook shortly after. In the report, she accused the hospital employees and auxiliary police officers of treating her inhumanely, restraining her unlawfully and violating her rights as a patient. The report also referred to one doctor by name. In its Facebook post on Tuesday, Tan Tock Seng Hospital said that incidents such as the one involving the patient "can be misunderstood when taken out of their full context" and expressed concerns about her posts. "While we respect the right of individuals to share their experiences, we are concerned about the representation of events and the naming of our staff member online," it said. "Our healthcare workers serve with professionalism, compassion and integrity, and we will not tolerate harassment or false accusations directed at them." The hospital added that it was "in touch with the patient and her family". In response to queries from CNA, the police confirmed that a report had been lodged over the incident. Tan Tock Seng Hospital declined to provide any further information about the incident.
