Attrition of Allied Health Professionals

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2604
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
NOTICE FOR THE SITTING ON 27 FEBRUARY 2024

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song
MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 5770

To ask 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.

Question No. 5772

To ask 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.

Answer
 

1.     Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Questions 1 and 2 together in today's order paper?

2.    Due to the 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.  

3.   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. 

4.     The Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to work with our public healthcare clusters, community care organisations and our Institutes of Higher Learning, to train, attract and retain AHPs. There needs to be good career prospects and opportunities for professional development, conducive workplace environment, and salaries will have to be competitive. In this regard, the Public Healthcare Institutions 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.