Mean and Median Overtime Hours Worked Per Month Per Nurse and Per Doctor in Past Five Years

33 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what are the mean and median overtime hours worked per month per nurse and per doctor respectively.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: MOH does not track the data for overtime hours for doctors and nurses. These are operational arrangements by the healthcare clusters and involve exigencies of service.

Nevertheless, we acknowledge the hard work and effort put in by all our healthcare workers. During the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis, the pressure on our healthcare workers has increased tremendously. This is especially so over the last few months, because, due to the Omicron variant, all healthcare workers have put in an exceptional amount of extra effort and hours to take care of patients and keep our healthcare system running. Even before the pandemic, our healthcare workers have been the backbone supporting our healthcare system and enabling us to strengthen and increase our healthcare capacity over the past decade.

As we now, hopefully, turn the corner from the current wave of COVID-19, our public healthcare clusters will do our best to allow staff the opportunity to rest and recharge and take vacation days and annual leave whenever possible.