Profile of Healthcare Workers Providing Long-term Care Services and Their Skill and Manpower Gaps
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Assoc Prof Walter Theseira’s inquiry into the profile of long-term care (LTC) workers and strategies to address manpower and skill gaps. Minister Gan Kim Yong reported that 12,020 workers served in subvented LTC providers in 2018, with 40% being local and nursing intakes increasing by 30% since 2013 to meet demand. To enhance recruitment and productivity, the Agency for Integrated Care promotes local hiring and technology adoption while subsidising training in geriatric and end-of-life care. Minister Gan Kim Yong highlighted that the Community Care Manpower Development Award provides scholarships for advanced skills training to develop the LTC workforce. Finally, the Skills Framework for Healthcare and Social Service maps job roles and competencies to help employers identify and address skills gaps within the industry.
Transcript
13 Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current number of workers providing long-term care services, broken down by nationality, educational qualification or skill level, professional rank, and type of care service; (b) what are the skill and manpower gaps given rising demand; and (c) what are the plans to address such gaps.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Based on data reported by service providers, in 2018, there were 12,020 workers in Long-Term Care (LTC) providers who received subvention from MOH. Table 1 provides the breakdown by job groups and service types. We do not have details on the educational qualifications and skill level of LTC workers. About 40% of the LTC workforce are locals.
To meet the growing demand for manpower, we have increased local training places, in particular for nursing. Nursing intakes in ITE, the polytechnics, and the autonomous universities have collectively increased by 30% from around 1,600 in 2013 to over 2,100 in 2018, the highest intake to date. The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has also partnered LTC providers to hold recruitment events, with more than 1,000 locals joining the community care sector in 2018. We are also working with LTC partners to improve healthcare productivity by adopting technology and assistive equipment, streamlining existing work processes, and facilitating bulk procurement of shared products and services to achieve manpower savings.
As our population ages, there will be increased demand for healthcare professionals who are trained in areas such as geriatric care, management of complex chronic conditions and end-of-life care. To develop and upskill the LTC workforce, AIC-appointed learning institutes offer subsidised training in areas ranging from clinical skills to leadership and people management. In addition, the Community Care Manpower Development Award (CCMDA) offers scholarships for those working or wishing to work in the LTC sector to pursue the relevant advanced skills training. Lastly, the newly launched Skills Framework for Healthcare and Social Service maps out the job roles and needed competencies in healthcare, and helps employers to identify skills gaps and develop workplace-based skills training to meet changing industry needs.