Speech by Dr Amy Khor at the Parkway College Graduation Ceremony

1. I am delighted to join all of you here today at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of students from Parkway College. My congratulations to all graduating students and I am sure all of you are proud to be a part of this milestone event.

Touching Lives

2. I am pleased to learn that we have students graduating in a variety of healthcare disciplines, such as Diplomas in Nursing and Healthcare Management, Advanced Diplomas in Peri-operative and Critical Care, as well as Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Management. These fields of study are critical to the development of the healthcare industry in Singapore.
3. At the risk of sounding cliché, being a healthcare professional gives you the opportunity to touch lives and make a difference like few other occupations.

4. It is a profession that, despite its rigours, is both rewarding and fulfilling. The entire healthcare ecosystem in Singapore is one of the best in the world, and you are graduating to become an integral part of it. This is something you can justifiably be proud of.

Manpower Needs of Healthcare

5. I would like to congratulate Parkway College for being the first private institution to launch the Diploma in Nursing course. Started in 2008, this 3-year course, which graduates 86 nurses today; is accredited by the Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) and leads to the Registered Nurse (RN) registration. The SNBconditionally registers these RNs to work in the Parkway group of hospitals in Singapore and at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

6. Currently, Parkway College is the only private training institute that offers both the Basic and Advanced Diploma nursing programme. A total of 25 nurses will be receiving their Advanced Diplomas in Nursing in Critical Care and Peri-operative later today.

7. I am told that under Mrs Nellie Tang’s leadership, feedback about the quality of training at Parkway College has been positive.

8. There is growing demand for clinical and non-clinical staff in the healthcare sector especially as the public and private healthcare players work more closely together to enhance Singapore’s position as a leading medical hub. In addition, the rapidly ageing population in Singapore will place greater demand and pressure on healthcare services especially in the area of geriatric care.

9. This new batch of healthcare professionals from Parkway College will alleviate some of the manpower needs of the healthcare profession and help Singapore continue its high standards of healthcare service delivery to both residents and medical tourists.

The Reality of Care Delivery

10. All of you will know that healthcare delivery is an increasingly complex challenge from the perspective of medical technology, financial feasibility, customer satisfaction, the appropriate healing outcomes and cost affordability.

11. Today, the emphasis in healthcare delivery is on “team-based care” where nurses and other healthcare professionals work closely together with doctors to make decisions and implement treatment plans for patients.

12. This evolution means that the roles and responsibility of nurses and healthcare professionals are greater than it ever was in the past.

13. In line with this shift towards “team-based” approach in healthcare delivery, all healthcare professionals including nurses will need to constantly upgrade and hone their skills to keep abreast of the advances in treatment methods and medical technology in both hospital and outpatient settings, as well as the development of highly specialised care.

The Road Ahead

14. Parkway College has provided you with a firm foundation in healthcare education but education does not end when you step out of the college.

15. It is up to you to take every opportunity to upgrade and develop yourself; and use your skills to help ensure that your patients are given the care they deserve. Even better, you should strive to go the extra mile.

16. For those of you who have graduated with a basic nursing or healthcare diploma today, I hope you will aspire to follow the footsteps of your fellow graduands who pursued the Advanced Diploma courses and upgraded their skills. For those who have pursued higher learning, I hope you will continue to develop yourself further, because learning is a life-long journey, but an immensely worthwhile especially, for healthcare.

17. I hope you would remain focused on the fundamental mission of healthcare – to improve the lives and health of the people.

18. Congratulations once again to all pioneer graduating batches of students. I am sure your families are very proud of your achievements and will continue to support you on this journey. I wish you all great success in your careers.

19. Thank you.