A rapidly ageing Singapore will need 30,000 more healthcare workers in five years, to add to the current 70,000 in the sector.
An entire range of workers, from doctors who specialise in geriatric medicine to highly trained nurses capable of helming nurse-led clinics, will be required to staff upcoming facilities.
These include six new polyclinics, 2,100 more public hospital beds, 9,100 extra beds in community hospitals and nursing homes and 7,600 more places in day, home and palliative care to cater to the 610,000 seniors in 2020, up from 460,000 last year.
This means “ample good jobs for Singaporeans”, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said yesterday, as he laid out the Government’s plans to attract and groom the numbers needed – stressing the importance of having a local core.
He also explained the need to shift the focus of care to polyclinics, nursing homes and other health facilities in the community to reduce the burden on hospitals and let seniors get care in familiar neighbourhoods and at home.
Speaking at the National Seminar on Productivity in Healthcare at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Mr Gan said Singapore will need to make “deep and fundamental changes” to the way care is delivered to maintain the high standards that have people here living longer, including “aggressively” promoting preventive health.
In a tight labour market, Singapore will also need to improve productivity by using “technology as multipliers”.
For instance, 35 nursing homes now use pre-packed medicine and another 10 automatically record patients’ vital signs – freeing up nurses to focus on patient care.
But thousands of locals are still needed, which is why Singaporeans – across all ages and experience levels – are being invited to join the sector.
Said Mr Gan: “Whether young or old, fresh school leavers, mid-career Singaporeans, non-practising healthcare professionals, we will help you with training and development to take on meaningful and fulfilling careers in this sector.”
Schemes includes a slew of scholarships and training programmes to equip people from outside the health industry with the skills needed.
One scheme has seen seven people in senior management, six of whom had been retrenched, retrained to work as managers and operations directors of community hospitals, nursing homes and daycare centres.
Besides expanding recruitment, workers will also be upgraded through skills training so they do more at each level.
To ensure retention, there will also be a focus on career development and improving the work environment.
salma@sph.com.sg
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