Increasing Ratio of Support Staff to Nurses in Public Healthcare Institutions

36 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has looked into the need to increase the nursing support staff to nurse ratio in the public healthcare institutions of around 1:11; (b) if yes, what are the findings; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will look into increasing the ratio.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: In November 2024, in response to an earlier Parliamentary Question from Mr Louis Ng, I had shared that the nursing support staff to nurse ratio in the public healthcare institutions has remained relatively stable in the past 10 years, at around one nursing support staff to 11 nurses. [Please refer to "Target Ratio of Nurses to Administrative and Support Healthcare Workers", Official Report, 12 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 146, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]

The number has not changed. We have been strengthening our healthcare workforce, including nurses, nursing support and other healthcare professionals. These will spread out administrative duties and help healthcare professionals practise at the top of their licence.