What is GPFirst?
Your family doctor or General Practitioner (GP) plays an important role in Singapore's healthcare system, and is the first medical professional you should visit when you feel unwell. For mild to moderate conditions such as cough, runny nose or simple sprains, your GP can treat the symptoms well and make referrals to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) and/or Urgent Care Centre (UCC) under the GPFirst programme if required.
Our hospitals’ A&E department should be used only for serious emergencies that require immediate attention, such as stroke, heart attack and serious injuries to prevent serious medical complication or even death.
You can see your GP if you have mild-to-moderate symptoms such as:
- Abdominal Pain or Indigestion
- Cold and Flu
- Cuts and Bruises
- Fever
- Headaches
- Hives
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Nosebleeds
- Sore Eyes
- Strains and Sprains
If your GP assesses that you require A&E/UCC attention, you will be provided with a referral under the GPFirst programme to the National University Hospital (NUH) A&E (excluding NUH Children's Emergency), Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) A&E and Alexandra Hospital (AH) UCC.
When you visit the A&E or UCC with a valid referral, you will receive a $50 subsidy on the prevailing fees at the respective A&Es or UCC (subject to terms and conditions).
However, do visit the A&E or UCC immediately if you have:
- Signs of dehydration
- Severe headache
- Suffered a head injury
Download the GPFirst brochure
here (2.20MB).