Home palliative care in Punggol starts with the doctor who knows your loved one’s illness: their GP, polyclinic or hospital doctor makes the referral. Providers such as HCA Hospice, which is free, then care for them at home. None of the home hospice providers listed by the Singapore Hospice Council is based in Punggol, so call to confirm they cover your address.
Caring for someone you love at the end of their life is tiring and tender at the same time. You do not have to work it out alone.
This page is part of eduKate Punggol’s When You Need Help in Punggol, our practical guides for life’s occasions, big and small. It covers who can receive home palliative care, how the referral works, which providers to call, what it costs, how to borrow equipment, how to get a break as a caregiver, and what to do when things change suddenly.
Quick answer
- First step: ask the patient’s own doctor for a referral. An AIC Link can also help with the application.
- Who it is for: people who are homebound because of a serious illness diagnosed by a doctor, or who have a serious illness with a prognosis of less than a year.
- Who provides it: HCA Hospice (6251 2561) and other providers listed by the Singapore Hospice Council. None is based in Punggol.
- Cost: HCA’s services are free. Elsewhere, charges may apply, but Singapore Citizens receive at least 50% subsidy and MediSave can be used.
- A sudden emergency: call 995. Once enrolled, call your provider’s 24-hour helpline first for a change in symptoms.
- For you, the caregiver: SOS on 1767 or CareText 9151 1767 (WhatsApp), and the National Mindline on 1771, all 24 hours.
Arranging Home Palliative Care: First Steps
You can do these over a few days. The first two matter most.
- Talk to the doctor who knows the illness. AIC says to speak to the patient’s GP, polyclinic or hospital doctor, who can make the referral. HCA Hospice confirms that patients must be referred by their primary doctor, using the Singapore Hospice Council’s common referral form.
- Ask for the medical social worker. If your loved one is in hospital, ask before discharge. AIC says they can help with fees and applications.
- Check that the provider covers Punggol. The Singapore Hospice Council directory does not list the areas each provider serves, so ask when you call.
- Know what the team will do. AIC lists medical and nursing care for pain and symptoms, emotional and social support for the patient and family, caregiver training, Advance Care Planning, 24/7 clinical services, equipment loans and bereavement care.
- Save the 24-hour helpline number. HCA says its teams are on call round the clock, seven days a week, with a helpline for enrolled patients. Put the number on the fridge and in every phone in the house.
- Talk about wishes early. If your loved one has not made an Advance Care Plan, ask the team to help while they can still share their views. Our Advance Care Planning guide explains how.
- Sort out equipment and a break for yourself. Ask about loaned beds and oxygen concentrators, and about respite care before you are exhausted.
Who to Call
These providers are listed in the Singapore Hospice Council’s Hospice Link directory for March 2026. All are outside Punggol, and the directory does not say which areas each one serves.
| Who | Address and contact | Hours | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Hospice | 705 Serangoon Road, Block A #03-01 (at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital), Singapore 328127. Tel 6251 2561. | Teams on call 24/7 for enrolled patients | Free home hospice care. Referral through the patient’s doctor. |
| Metta Hospice Care | 32 Simei Street 1, Singapore 529950. Tel 6580 4695. | Not stated; call to ask | Home hospice care. |
| MWS Home Care & Home Hospice | 2 Kallang Avenue, Singapore 339407. Tel 6435 0270. | Not stated; call to ask | Home hospice care. |
| Assisi Hospice | 832 Thomson Road, Singapore 574627. Tel 6832 2650. | Not stated; call to ask | Home hospice care. |
| Dover Park Hospice | TTSH Integrated Care Hub, Singapore 307382. Tel 6500 7272. | Not stated; call to ask | Home hospice care. |
| Singapore Cancer Society | 30 Hospital Boulevard, #16-02, Singapore 168583. Tel 1800 727 3333. | Not stated; call to ask | Home hospice care. |
| Singapore Hospice Council | Tel 6538 2231. Common referral form on its website. | Not stated | General questions and the referral form your doctor uses. |
| Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) | Tel 1800-650-6060, enquiries@aic.sg | Mon–Fri 8.30am–8.30pm; Sat 8.30am–4pm. Closed Sun and public holidays. | Care options and help with applications. |
Checked October 2026 — confirm on the official page before you go: AIC home palliative care, HCA home hospice and the Singapore Hospice Council’s Hospice Link (March 2026).
The same directory also lists hospital palliative services, none of them in Punggol: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (6555 8000), Changi General Hospital (6788 8833) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (6256 6011).
Which Situation Fits You
Your loved one is in hospital now
Ask the ward doctor whether home palliative care would help, and ask to see the medical social worker before discharge. Getting the referral started before you leave can save a gap at home.
Your loved one is at home and getting weaker
Book an appointment with their GP or polyclinic doctor and ask directly about a palliative referral. If you are unsure where to start, an AIC Link can help with the application.
The illness is not cancer
Home palliative care is not only for cancer. AIC names advanced dementia alongside cancer as examples of serious illnesses that qualify, and includes anyone homebound because of a serious illness diagnosed by a doctor.
You are the main caregiver and running on empty
From 1 April 2026, AIC’s home-based respite care moved to Enhanced Home Personal Care (HPC+). It can be booked by the hour or in four-hour blocks, includes 24/7 fall monitoring through devices at home, and needs an assessment by a hospital or polyclinic doctor. The Home Caregiving Grant, up to $600 a month from April 2026 for those who qualify, is covered in our caregiver grants guide.
Things change suddenly, or you can no longer cope at home
Call your provider’s 24-hour helpline first. HCA says visits range from weekly to monthly, depending on the patient’s condition and the caregiver’s needs. If needed, the primary nurse and doctor will arrange admission to an inpatient hospice or hospital.
When the end is near
Ask your palliative team, well before you need it, what to do when death happens at home, including who will certify it. Our guide to when someone dies in Punggol explains death certification, registration and the steps that follow.
Home Palliative Care Costs and Subsidies
- HCA Hospice: HCA says all its services are provided at no charge to patients. The first dose of medication is usually free, and help is given if a family cannot afford later prescriptions.
- Other providers: AIC says charges may apply. A medical social worker can help with fees.
- Subsidies: MOH said that from the fourth quarter of 2024, all Singapore Citizens would receive subsidies of at least 50% for palliative care, regardless of household income.
- MediSave: an adult patient using their own MediSave has no withdrawal limit for home palliative care and day hospice. Using a family member’s MediSave is capped at $2,500 per patient for life. For a child patient, the lifetime cap is $2,500 whichever account is used.
- Inpatient hospice: MediSave can cover up to $250 a day, or $350 a day for specialised palliative care.
- Equipment: HCA lends hospital beds and oxygen concentrators for a $100 refundable deposit, with priority for families in financial difficulty. MOH’s Equipment Rental Scheme gives at least 50% subsidy on weekly rental, essential consumables and delivery for patients with a prognosis of a year or less.
- Respite care (HPC+): from $25 an hour before subsidies. Means-tested subsidies apply for Singapore Citizens and PRs.
For how MediSave, MediShield Life and other schemes fit together, see our healthcare costs explainer.
Neighbour’s Tips for Caregivers
- Start with the doctor, not the provider. Referrals come from the patient’s own doctor, so that is the quickest way in.
- Use the patient’s own MediSave first. There is no withdrawal limit for adults paying from their own account, while family accounts are capped.
- Borrow big equipment before you buy it. Hospital beds and oxygen concentrators are expensive and often needed only for a while. Smaller items are covered in our medical supplies guide.
- Keep a notebook by the bed. Jot down questions and any changes you notice, so nothing is forgotten when the nurse visits.
- Book your break before you need it. Respite care works better as a routine than a rescue.
- Share the load. Give relatives and friends specific jobs: a meal on Tuesday, a pharmacy run, a night’s sleep for you.
- Be wary of unexpected calls. AIC says its staff will never ask you to transfer money or share bank log-in details over the phone. The ScamShield Helpline is 1799.
If It’s Urgent or Gets Worse
Call 995 for sudden severe breathlessness, heavy bleeding, a fall with injury, or if you are unsure whether your loved one is still alive. For other changes in symptoms, an enrolled patient’s family should call the provider’s 24-hour helpline first.
Caregivers carry a great deal. If you feel overwhelmed, call SOS on 1767 or message CareText on 9151 1767, day or night, or the National Mindline on 1771.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can get home palliative care?
AIC says it is for patients who are homebound because of a serious illness diagnosed by a doctor, or who have a serious illness with a prognosis of less than a year.
Is there a home hospice provider in Punggol?
We could not find one. None of the providers in the Singapore Hospice Council’s directory is based in Punggol, but home teams visit patients where they live. Call the providers in the table and ask whether they cover your address.
How much does home palliative care cost?
HCA Hospice is free. Other providers may charge, but Singapore Citizens receive at least 50% subsidy, and MediSave can be used.
How often will the team visit?
HCA says anywhere from weekly to monthly, depending on the patient’s condition and the caregiver’s needs. Ask your provider how they plan visits.
What if we can no longer manage at home?
Tell the team. HCA says the primary nurse and doctor will arrange admission to an inpatient hospice or hospital if needed.
Can we borrow a hospital bed?
HCA lends hospital beds and oxygen concentrators to its patients for a $100 refundable deposit. MOH’s Equipment Rental Scheme also subsidises rentals for eligible patients.
More Help on eduKate Punggol
- Home nursing, home care and medical escorts in Punggol
- Medical supplies and home health equipment in Punggol
- Caregiver grants and training for Punggol families
- CHAS, MediSave, MediShield Life and healthcare bills
- When someone dies in Punggol: registration, funerals and wakes.
- Official: AIC home palliative care · MOH: MediSave for long-term care · AIC: Enhanced Home Personal Care
Looking After Them, and You
Being there at the end is a gift, and it is also hard work. Let the professionals carry the medical load, let friends carry some of the rest, and take the breaks you are offered. Looking after yourself is part of looking after them.
Whenever you are ready, we are here for the everyday parts of family life too. And if your family is also looking for calm, small-group English, Mathematics or Science, eduKate Punggol teaches classes of three in Punggol. Come find out more: Book a consultation · Chat on WhatsApp
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Checked October 2026. Addresses, opening hours, fees and rules change, so please confirm with the official source before you go.
