SINGAPORE: A patient has accused Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) of subjecting her to what she described as a “traumatic and inhumane” experience during treatment.
She alleged that hospital staff forcibly restrained her, tore her clothes, and “injected her with an unknown substance” without her consent before transferring her to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) against her will.
The patient said the incident took place on 10 October 2025, during her third admission for orthopaedic, pain, and nerve treatment.
She claimed that despite multiple consultations, her condition had not improved. According to her, the alleged incident occurred just a day before her scheduled discharge.
In her Facebook post on 10 October, the patient stated that more than ten staff, including doctors, nurses, and several male Aetos officers, entered her ward and forcibly restrained her.
She claimed that her request to contact her husband, her designated spokesperson, was ignored during the incident.
The patient described the experience as “humiliating, unethical, and traumatising,” expressing concern over what she viewed as breaches of patient rights, informed consent, and professional conduct.
She added that upon arrival at IMH, a doctor assessed her as being of sound mind and discharged her shortly after.
Police report filed over alleged ‘inhumane treatment’
On 18 October 2025, the patient stated on Facebook that she had lodged a police report against TTSH.
She alleged that she was unlawfully restrained and injected under the instruction of a doctor who had cited her as a danger to herself and others under the Mental Health Act.
The report, according to her post, named both hospital staff and Aetos officers for alleged inhumane treatment, unlawful restraint, and violation of patient rights.
TTSH responds to online allegations
In response to the claims, TTSH issued a statement on 21 October 2025, acknowledging awareness of the patient’s social media posts.
The hospital stated that its clinical team’s actions were “guided by their foremost duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the patient.”
“Our team acted swiftly, responsibly, and out of genuine concern to protect the patient under the circumstances,” TTSH said in its statement.
The hospital added that such situations “can be misunderstood when taken out of their full context.”
Hospital defends staff, warns against harassment
TTSH emphasised that while it respects the right of individuals to share their experiences, it is “concerned about the representation of events and the naming of their staff member online.”
The hospital stressed that its staff serve with professionalism, compassion, and integrity, and that it “will not tolerate harassment or false accusations directed at them.”
“We are in touch with the patient and her family. Our commitment will always be to uphold the highest standards of safety and care for all our patients and staff,” the statement added.
Laws governing the detention of individuals for psychiatric assessment and treatment in Singapore
Sections 9 and 10 of Singapore’s Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008 outline the procedures for referring and admitting individuals believed to be mentally disordered.
Under Section 9, a medical practitioner may refer such a person to a designated medical practitioner at a psychiatric institution for further assessment.
Section 10 empowers designated medical practitioners to admit or detain a patient for up to 72 hours, extendable to one month upon re-examination, and subsequently for up to six months if two practitioners (one a psychiatrist) agree continued treatment is necessary.
Detention is only lawful if the person’s mental condition and safety, or that of others, justify it.
Concern grows over psychiatric bed capacity amid rising demand and longer wait times at IMH
In November 2023, then-MP for Nee Soon GRC Louis Ng filed a Parliamentary question asking the Minister for Health for the mean and median waiting times for patients to receive psychiatric help at the IMH over the past five years.
In a written reply, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung revealed that the mean and median waiting time for new subsidised psychiatrist appointments at IMH had increased from 15 days in 2018 to 41 days in 2022.
However, he noted that individuals referred to IMH by the police under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act are attended to promptly, with no significant waiting time.
Ong explained that IMH uses a triage system to determine the urgency of each case, ensuring that those with more severe or urgent conditions are given priority.
IMH also collaborates with community service providers to manage individuals with mild to moderate symptoms, enabling faster access to appropriate care.
According to SingStat, IMH’s bed capacity declined from 2,113 beds in 2006 to 1,950 beds in 2023, even as the population rose from 4.4 million to 5.9 million over the same period.
IMH’s official website states that it currently has about 2,000 beds across 50 wards, serving as Singapore’s sole acute tertiary psychiatric facility.
Earlier, on 10 October 2025, Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon announced that by 2040, Singapore will add 500 more acute psychiatric beds across hospitals islandwide to strengthen mental healthcare capacity.
Acute psychiatric beds cater to patients experiencing severe phases of mental illness requiring close supervision and intensive treatment, such as managing psychosis, suicidal ideation, or extreme behavioural disturbances.
As of February 2024, there were nearly 1,000 acute psychiatric beds in public hospitals, including over 800 at IMH.
By 2030, the total number is projected to reach about 1,070, with 70 additional beds at the redeveloped Alexandra Hospital.
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