SPEECH BY MR GAN KIM YONG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH, AT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS CEREMONY 2014, 28 AUGUST 2014

Distinguished colleagues and guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening

Introduction

1.    I am pleased to join you this evening for the National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) Ceremony. Tonight, we recognise a group of talented healthcare professionals who have made significant contributions in research, mentoring and education, clinical practice and healthcare delivery.

Current State of Healthcare in Singapore

2.    As our population demographic profile changes, our healthcare needs also change over time. We need to constantly evolve our healthcare system to meet these needs. At the same time, we also need to improve the quality of care and ensure healthcare remains affordable for Singaporeans.

Promoting Medical Excellence

3.    The Government recognises the value of investing in R&D which will help to improve the quality of care and advance the healthcare sector. Our investments in biomedical research have expanded over the past few years. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to work closely with other agencies to develop and roll out the road-map for biomedical research.

4.    We will be focusing on areas with public health impact that will lead to healthcare benefits for our population.

5.    One example is the work by Associate Prof Allen Yeoh from the National University Health System (NUHS), who is the winner of the National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award. A/Prof Yeoh led the multi-centre Malaysia-Singapore acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) study that influenced the way childhood ALL was treated by reducing both treatment-related toxicities and relapse risk. The approach has now been adopted in the National University Hospital (NUH), KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), Mount Elizabeth Hospital and other overseas hospitals. Coincidentally, four of the six individual NMEA winners across the various categories this year specialise in paediatrics-related areas. This is a good reminder to all of us to not forget the health and well-being of our younger generation in the midst of addressing the current aging concerns and potential epidemics in the region.

6.    Better health outcomes can also come about through better processes. The team led by Associate Professor Malcolm Mahadevan from NUH, who is the winner of the National Medical Excellence Team Award, effectively decreased the ICU admission rates and length of stay for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) through the implementation of a multifaceted workflow. With these measures in place, which include early identification of SCAP patients and active surveillance, audits and hand hygiene publicity campaigns, an estimated 20 lives can be saved every year. This team has successfully bridged the gap between knowledge generation and clinical practice, improving the standards, safety, quality and cost effectiveness of patient care.

7.    For the healthcare system to succeed, training and grooming the talent is critical. Last month, I attended the MOH Healthcare Scholarships Award Presentation Ceremony, which saw the award of 283 healthcare scholarships. I was encouraged to see our efforts to attract young, talented Singaporeans to join the healthcare sector beginning to bear fruit.

8.    In this regard, Associate Professor Chow Wan Cheng from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), winner of the National Outstanding Clinician Educator Award, has contributed greatly to training and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. She is a respected clinician who has gained regional recognition and won awards for her research work in chronic viral hepatitis. At the same time, she is also passionate towards education and training and has contributed significantly towards the nurturing of many young clinicians in the SingHealth cluster.

9.    Professor Chay Oh Moh, one of our two winners of the National Outstanding Clinician Mentor Award, is another exemplary healthcare professional who has made exceptional contributions to clinical work while at the same time, supported research and actively nurtured clinicians. As the Campus Director of the Education Office at KKH, Prof Chay has been instrumental in shaping the education for the next generation of healthcare providers and strongly promotes inter-professional learning. Her vision to cultivate a new generation of clinicians to further the advancement of healthcare and medical education was evident in her key role in establishing a robust framework to cultivate strong mentor-mentee relations across all levels of doctors at KKH.

Contributions of Pioneers, Leaders and Staff in the Healthcare Sector

10.    As we continue to implement our Healthcare 2020 Masterplan, we are grateful to have as our partners the many talented healthcare professionals like our NMEA winners, and all of you here this evening.

11.    We have achieved what we have because of the many outstanding and dedicated pioneers, leaders and staff in our healthcare sector. In particular, I would like to mention our former Permanent Secretary for Health and Director of Medical Services, Dr Kwa Soon Bee. He was not only a top physician and a capable administrator. He also pushed for the growth and development of medical research and healthcare services in Singapore. Dr Kwa played a pivotal role in the creation of the Singapore National Eye Centre and Singapore Eye Research Institute - which today are world leading institutions in the research and treatment of eye conditions.

12.    We would also like to thank Professor Satku, for his invaluable contributions to policy formulation, professional education and standards, and healthcare innovations during his tenure as Director of Medical Services for almost a decade. Prof Satku is here this evening. Especially significant, Prof Satku had mooted the idea of the National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) which we are celebrating this evening.

Conclusion

13.    In closing, I extend my warmest congratulations to all the winners this year. You are the role models of commitment and innovation whom we honour and appreciate. I wish you all every success as you continue to dedicate yourselves to the pursuit of excellence and service to our patients.

14.    Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you will have an enjoyable evening. Thank you.