STAFF STRUCTURE OF DOCTORS AND NURSES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS

Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Health, during these difficult times, if he will (i) review and readjust the staff structure of doctors in public hospitals in order to solve the shortage problem and reduce the excessive workload of junior doctors; and (ii) step up the recruitment effort and increase the number of training posts for nurses.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Readjusting the staff structure of doctors

My Ministry has taken a two-pronged approach in increasing the supply of junior doctors. We have increased the university medical school intake to 200 per year. As this is a long-term solution, we have in the short term made efforts to recruit overseas-trained Medical Officers. We have appointed 59 foreign trained medical officers since January this year, in addition to the 81 that were appointed last year. Previously, we had only been able to bring in about 50-odd officers per year, including both House Officers and Medical Officers. This has greatly reduced the shortfall of junior doctors.

My Ministry has also moderated the number of night calls to six per month. Night calls are an unavoidable facet of institutional practice. My Ministry has also instructed our hospitals, where necessary, to pool its medical staff of related disciplines for night duty rostering. In addition, departments have also sought to alleviate the workload of junior doctors by practising "step-down" calls where more senior doctors (such as Registrars and Consultants) assist their junior colleagues by taking on some of their calls and workload.

As a longer term measure, the MOH Nursing Task Force set up in November last year has recommended that nurses should take on higher level clinical duties (eg intravenous injections, hypocounts and venepunctures). Whilst the main intent of this recommendation was to enhance the jobs of nurses and enable them to maximise their skills and abilities, this would also have the secondary effect of easing the workload of junior doctors, especially house officers.

Nurses - recruitment efforts and increasing training posts

I turn now to the issue of stepping up efforts to recruit nurses. The Ministry of Health, Health Corporation of Singapore and the Restructured Hospitals have been conducting a sustained campaign for many years to attract young people into the nursing profession. This campaign has included career exhibitions and career talks at schools, participation in careers fairs, giving out of nursing bursaries and scholarships, newspaper features and television commercials.

Whilst these efforts did produce results, it was only this year that we have seen bumper crops beyond our targets and expectations. The NYP Nursing Diploma programme's intake was 640, above their targetted intake of 600. Likewise, the School of Nursing's intake for the Pupil Assistant Nurse programme has more than doubled over last year's intake, from about 70 to 160. While this is partly related to the current economic situation, I believe this can also be attributed to the increasing awareness of the nursing profession through the higher profile publicity campaign. We will continue with our on-going programmes to promote nursing as a career.