Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the demand for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) has increased between 2019 and 2023 and, if so, by how much; and (b) in each year from 2019 to 2023, what has the attrition rate of AHPs been in (i) public acute hospitals (ii) public community hospitals (iii) public long-term care facilities and (iv) polyclinics.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) how does the attrition rate of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in public acute hospitals, public community hospitals, public long-term care facilities and polyclinics compare with those of doctors and nurses; (b) what measures are being considered to address attrition rate of AHPs; and (c) whether such measures include an increase in remuneration.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 1 and 2 together in today’s Order Paper?
Mr Speaker: Yes, please proceed.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Thank you. Due to our growing healthcare needs, the demand for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have been growing. The total number of registered diagnostic radiographers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiation therapists and speech therapists, increased by 25%, from about 6,000 in 2019 to 7,500 in 2023.
Overall, the attrition of AHPs in the public healthcare sector increased slightly from 8.9% in 2018 to 11.6% in 2022. In the community care sector the attrition of AHPs has fallen from 17.7% in 2018 to 11.3% in 2022.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to work with our public healthcare clusters, community care organisations and our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to train, attract and retain AHPs. There need to be good career prospects and opportunities for professional development, a conducive workplace environment and salaries will have to be competitive.
In this regard, the Public Healthcare Institutions (PHIs) had increased the starting salaries of AHPs in 2023. Since 2021, MOH has also supported salary enhancements in the community care sector, including for AHPs.
Mr Speaker: Mr Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for answering my questions. Is the attrition rate of AHPs higher or lower than doctors and nurses? I am not sure if the Senior Parliamentary Secretary answered my original question on that. Are the retention and career progression needs of AHPs being, in any way, prioritised behind those of doctors and nurses, despite them playing a very critical role in the recovery of patients?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the question. Indeed, the attrition rates for the AHPs are higher than that for the doctors and nurses. The Member is right in that they play a very critical role. We have been engaging AHPs in developing a strategy because they are part of the healthcare ecosystem. And as you know, we are transforming our healthcare sector – there will be Age Well SG, there will be Healthier SG – and it is important for them to also play that role in this endeavour to have a common understanding of the focus areas and transformation of the allied health delivery that needs to meet these national strategies.
We have been working with them to future-proof the allied health workforce to handle future challenges of the ageing population and improving population health and outcomes. These are things that are already ongoing. They are definitely not left behind, they are part of the ecosystem and we are working together to help us work that journey of transforming the healthcare system.
Mr Speaker: Mr Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary again for that answer. What proportion of APHs in PHIs are foreigners? And how does this compare to the proportion of nurses who are foreigners? And secondly, how is the Ministry encouraging more Singaporeans to take up careers as AHPs?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I do not have the data now on hand, as far as the numbers of the foreign AHPs.
In respect of the second question on how we are working to enhance the AHP profession, we have been doing this on a few fronts. We have been working upstream; we are working on the IHLs to increase local training pipelines, with healthcare employers to attract and retain quality manpower. Over the last 10 years, we have doubled intakes for AHP courses from around 270 to 500.
In respect of the foreign AHPs, we also value them. And if they demonstrate their commitment to Singapore, we are also prepared to grant them permanent resident (PR) status. So, that is one thing that is quite encouraging, I believe.
We also have healthcare career conversion programmes for mid-career locals to undergo relevant trainings through our IHLs for selected AHP professionals.
These are some of the efforts that we have put in place to enhance the profession and to uplift the standing of the profession within the community.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): I note that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that the community care AHPs had experienced a decline in the attrition rate, as opposed to the overall slight increase in attrition rate for the other sector. I am wondering whether the Ministry has given any consideration into what might account for this differential because understanding this might give us some insight into how to improve retention in the overall sector.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Just to clarify the point. AHPs are in the public healthcare sector as well as in the community care sector, because they also support some of our roles in the public institutions. So, in terms of the decline, I think there are so many different factors, clearly, and we are looking at how we can improve this. Part of it is salaries and the standing of some of these professions within the community.
I think over time we have learnt and we have also been engaging these professions to understand what are some of the challenges what are some of the workplace issues and it may be facing. And so, these are things that will inform us as we have these discussions, moving forward, with the AHPs in enhancing the profession, in making them also part of the larger ecosystem as we transform our healthcare sector.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Just a quick point. I acknowledge what the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned about how salaries – as an economist, that is an intuitive explanation. But my understanding is that in the community care sector, if anything, salaries are slightly lower than compared to overall. So, I would truly urge the Ministry to look much more carefully into why attrition rates seem to be lower in the community care sector compared to overall.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the points made. Indeed, we have been working with the community care sector. You have heard announcements recently about Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty (ANGEL) and we are also working with the community sector, to make sure that it is also something that can translate into that sector.
As I mentioned earlier, since 2011, we have been supporting salary enhancements in the community care sector, including for AHPs. So, this is something we will continue to review, look at and enhance when appropriate.
Ministry of Health
27 February 2024
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=oral-answer-3481
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