ENHANCED TRAINING PATHWAYS WILL PRESERVE ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE

We thank Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists president Gabriel Kwek and Singapore Physiotherapy Association president Kwah Li Khim for their letters (Safeguards in allied health training preserve professional standards, Nov 25, and Safeguard professional standards and workforce capacity in allied health sector, Nov 27).

Both supported enhancing training pathways for allied health professionals, but highlighted the need to preserve professional standards, which is an objective the Ministry of Health (MOH) shares.

Under the enhanced training pathways, we want to be more deliberate in introducing modular training. It is commonly practised around the world, in many sectors, and is becoming more common in Singapore’s healthcare sector. 

Modular training draws a stronger linkage between training and the tasks at the workplace. It enables healthcare professionals to more readily and easily acquire new skills to broaden and deepen their professional expertise. It lets us take a more patient-centric approach, to efficiently impart the necessary skills in the care team to serve patients well. 

With an increasing number of seniors with multiple and complex chronic medical conditions, this is an important direction to take. This is about maintaining standards, while making training more flexible and efficient. It enhances collaboration and does not seek to merge or replace professions.

To make these changes, we need the support of professional bodies. We would like to reassure Mr Kwek and Associate Professor Kwah that MOH recognises the unique expertise of each profession, and the required qualifications for entry into the respective professions will remain.   

Susan Niam (Adjunct Professor)
Chief Allied Health Officer
Ministry of Health