THE way Singapore's public hospitals and polyclinics are organised is in for a major shake-up, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed on Thursday.

The regional hospitals - Changi General Hospital (CGH), Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun - will be given more autonomy in day-to-day operations and manage a few polyclinics in their vicinity, he said.

CGH's parent group Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) will focus on running Singapore General Hospital and the Outram medical research campus as well as KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

The other public health group, the National Healthcare Group (NHG), will continue running Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the Institute of Mental Health and also some polyclinics in the area.

The National University Hospital, under NHG, is already being run together autonomously with the medical school at the National University Hospital by a board.

The moves are meant to allow each hospital to focus its energies and improve the standard of health care in its own region, Mr Khaw said.