Speech for Health Minister Gan Kim Yong at the SIT-TCD-NYP Signing Ceremony, 29 October 2012

H.E. Mr Joseph Hayes, Ambassador to Singapore, Republic of Ireland,
Professor Tan Chin Tiong, President, Singapore Institute of Technology,
Professor Tan Thiam Soon, President-designate, Singapore Institute of Technology,
Dr Patrick Prendergast, Provost, Trinity College Dublin,
Mr Chan Lee Mun, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Nanyang Polytechnic,
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Good evening. First, let me extend my congratulations to the management of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Trinity College Dublin, and Nanyang Polytechnic, who have worked hard to introduce the undergraduate programmes in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy in September this year. I am delighted to witness the official signing ceremony for the establishment of the SIT-Trinity College Dublin degree programmes today. This is an important milestone for the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy professions in Singapore, opening up a good quality degree pathway for our diploma-trained therapists.

2. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists are integral members of the healthcare teams in our institutions. They provide rehabilitation and treatment for the elderly and patients with injuries or diseases that have left them debilitated. For these patients, occupational therapists and physiotherapists play a critical role in improving their functional capabilities, helping them regain independence and integrate back into the community. Today, occupational therapists and physiotherapists are also important touch points in our health promotion and education efforts both at home and in the community, outside of the traditional settings of acute hospitals and clinics.

3. Presently, we have around 350 occupational therapists and 600 physiotherapists working in the public healthcare institutions. To meet the healthcare needs of a rapidly ageing population and rising incidence of chronic diseases, we need to grow our allied health manpower pool and continually develop and build up their capabilities.

4. The diploma courses at Nanyang Polytechnic today provide a strong foundation for our occupational therapists and physiotherapists to become safe and competent practitioners. However, as Singapore’s healthcare needs become increasingly complex, our therapists will need to be equipped with greater in-depth knowledge and stronger skills to better manage patients with complex conditions, develop appropriate therapy approaches, as well as improve patient care practices and health promotion efforts.

5. We have been sending many of our therapists overseas for degree-level training. We are now proud to have our own degree programmes. The curricula were developed by Trinity College Dublin, in close collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic, Ministry of Health and our local occupational therapy and physiotherapy experts. The programmes have been specially tailored to local context and practices. They aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills to critically evaluate their practice and provide patient-centric interventions in the course of their work. Students in the programmes will also gain a better understanding of management and wider issues of health policy and service delivery. These are the value-added knowledge and skills that our healthcare institutions look for in a degree-level education for their therapists. This year, the intakes for the physiotherapists and occupational therapists are 51 and 32 respectively. SIT will increase the intakes over time to reach 80 physiotherapists and 50 occupational therapists every year.

6. Looking ahead, I am confident that SIT, along with its partner universities, will continue to offer quality upgrading pathways in the health sciences disciplines for our polytechnic graduates that will bring significant value to the healthcare sector. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to SIT, Trinity College Dublin, Nanyang Polytechnic and most importantly, our Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy professional communities – who have worked tirelessly over the past two years to conceptualise, develop and roll out the two new degree programmes. I wish you every success for the programmes ahead.

7. Thank you.