PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS:

(Number of foreign nurses): 11.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the number of foreign nurses in public and private healthcare institutions and whether the employment of significant numbers of foreign nurses will continue, considering the attrition rate among local nurses.

The Minister of State for Health (Mr Heng Chee How) (for the Minister for: Column: 1152

Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, as at the end 2005, there were 3,527 practising foreign nurses in Singapore, of which 2,375 worked in the public sector and 1,152 in the private sector. They made up 22% of the total number of practising nurses here, that is, the foreign nurses. At 22%, this is a significant reduction from the 27% that they represented in the year 2003. 2006 data are not yet available but we would expect that trend to continue, that is, a declining trend.

As more Singaporeans have been attracted to the nursing profession, we are therefore able to reduce our dependence on foreign nurses. This is a good development. Nevertheless, we will continue to welcome foreign nurses to augment our local supply.

As for the attrition of local nurses, it has largely hovered around 7%-8% in the public sector. We will continue to improve the attractiveness of nursing as a profession, in particular, to enhance their career development path.

Dr Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): I just want to ask a supplementary question. Lately, there have been some cases which have been highlighted where some of these foreign nurses have not had their permits renewed. Is there a kind of a plan or trend where we are trying to decrease the number of foreign nurses by decreasing the number of permits?

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Speaker, Sir, all foreigners working in Singapore will be subjected to our permit rules or employment pass rules. I think this is also done with respect to the manpower needs of different sectors and industries. So, certainly, there is a recognition that, within the healthcare sector for nurses, we would need the complement of both local as well as foreign nurses. You would have to look at how the local supply of nurses, as it gears up, balances with our

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dependence on the foreign supply. So, ultimately, it is for us to ensure that there is adequate total supply to meet the needs of Singaporeans as well as to meet the needs of the foreign patients who arrive on our shores.

Dr Lam Pin Min (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what is the retention rate of these foreign nurses and if these foreign nurses are using Singapore as a stepping stone to greener pastures elsewhere and, if so, whether this volatile influx and efflux of nurses would affect the standard of nursing care in Singapore.

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I mentioned earlier, the attrition rate for the local nurses is about 7%-8% a year, and that for foreign nurses would be in the region of 20%-25% a year. So it is more than the local nurses. But the Member would also agree with me that the vast majority of them do stay on.