Regulation of Private Daycare and Homecare Services

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang

MP for Nee Soon GRC

Question No. 1175

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether there are plans to tighten the regulation of private daycare and homecare services that do not receive Government subsidies as they currently do not have any mandatory minimum standards; and (b) whether daycare and formal homecare services should be licensed like childcare and nursing home services.

Answer

1                     As the home and community care sector grows over time, we will need to continually improve the quality and standards of home and day care services.

2                    Healthcare professionals working in the sector, such as doctors, nurses and therapists, are already subject to licensing by their respective professional bodies.   They are held to strict professional standards in areas such as code of conduct, practice standards and competencies.  In 2015, MOH, in consultation with the sector, also introduced developmental service guidelines for home and day care providers covering areas such as care delivery, staff training and staff qualifications.

3                    MOH will review the need for more formal regulation of the home and day care sector.  We have provided for the future regulation of home and day care services within the scope of the upcoming Healthcare Services Act (HCSA).  The specific timing, phasing and regulatory approach will need to be studied carefully as the sector is still nascent and evolving.