Ensuring that Singaporeans understand support schemes

MOH's Reply (English)

Lian He Zao Bao, 28 May 2015

We refer to the letter “确保有需要者得到政府援助金” (Zao Bao, 7 May). We thank Mr Zhao Wan Xing for his suggestions on how the Government can better communicate assistance schemes to needy and elderly Singaporeans.  

Communication of the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) has been a collaborative effort between many agencies – from the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Pioneer Generation Office (PGO) and the Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI). While MCI used mass media and online platforms to raise awareness on the PGP’s benefits, MOH partnered our healthcare institutions, public sector agencies and community organisations to engage Pioneers and patients more personally on the new healthcare schemes.

The PGO was set up late last year to gather and train community volunteers to reach out to Pioneers. Pioneer Generation Ambassadors, who are well-versed not only in Pioneer Generation benefits, but also other elderly-related healthcare schemes, visit Pioneers’ homes to explain the benefits of the Pioneer Generation Package and schemes like the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) and higher subsidies for outpatient drugs and specialist outpatient services. MOH has been tapping on Pioneer Generation Ambassadors to reach out to Pioneers on existing healthcare schemes such as the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF), and upcoming ones like MediShield Life. In addition, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) also holds regular briefings and roadshows to engage the public and raise awareness of CHAS within the community.

Beyond MOH/PGO, the current network of 20 Social Service Offices (SSOs) around the island makes it accessible for Singaporeans who need help to receive social assistance from the Government, and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has reached out through many platforms to publicise the SSOs as an avenue of help within the community. 

Ministries also actively engage Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), social service providers, grassroots leaders, and other self-help groups. They have greater networks within the community, and are able to identify residents who may require government assistance and share details of these schemes. We will continually improve our communication and outreach efforts to provide assistance to Singaporeans who need help.
 

Ms Lim Bee Khim,
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health

Ms Shamila Baskaran
Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications
Pioneer Generation Office

MOH's Reply (Chinese)

确保国人对援助计划有所了解

答复
谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于5月7日刊登的赵万兴读者投函《确保有需要者得到政府援助金》：

感谢赵先生的建议。

宣传“建国一代”配套的工作，包括了多个机构的大力合作——卫生部、建国一代办事处和通讯及新闻部。

通讯及新闻部通过大众传媒和网络平台来宣传建国一代配套的好处，卫生部则联合医疗机构、公共部门机构和社区机构，帮助个别建国一代 和病患了解新的医疗计划。

建国一代办事处在去年底成立，目的是培训志愿者，让他们走入社区，向建国一代解释建国一代配套。这些“建国一代大使”熟知建国一代 配套和其他同年长人士相关的医疗计划。他们登门造访建国一代，向他们解释建国一代配套和社保计划（CHAS）的好处，和专科门诊及门诊药物 可以获得的更高津贴。卫生部也动用建国一代大使向建国一代解释现有的医疗计划如乐龄助行基金，和即将实行的全民医疗保险终身健保。

此外，护联中心也定期主办介绍会和路演，提高公众对社保计划的认识。

另外，全岛各地的20个社会服务中心，也让需要帮助的新加坡人，可以方便地获得政府的协助。社会及家庭发展部也通过许多平台来宣传社会服务中心在社区扮演的角色。

政府部门也和志愿福利团体、社会服务组织、基层领袖和其他自助团体紧密合作。他们和社区有更好的联系，可以确认可能需要帮助的居民并向他们解释相关的援助计划。

我们会不断加强我们在沟通和宣传上的努力，为需要帮助的国人伸出援手。

卫生部
行政传播司司长
林美琴

建国一代办事处
行政传播高级助理处长
Shamila Baskaran

Forum Letter (Translated)

Lian He Zao Bao, 7 May 2015

Ensuring the needy have access to Government assistance schemes

Mr Zhao Wan Xing commended the government’s move towards a more caring and inclusive society with the launch of several schemes and programmes to help the needy and vulnerable in Singapore.

Taking the elderly as an example, he cited the Workfare scheme for the older low-wage workers; the Public Assistance Scheme for the needy; and for those above 65 years old and above who received the Pioneer Generation Package, they will also be receiving the Silver Support Scheme in the near future.

For healthcare, the elderly can also pay lesser for their medical bills at CHAS clinics. To help alleviate the financial burdens of the lower-income, there is also the GST Voucher, and the recent introduction of the Seniors’ Bonus.

Additionally, to help with seniors’ mobility, there is also the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) which provides subsidies for seniors to buy assistive devices that aid mobility, healthcare consumables and even spectacles and hearing aids.

Zhao said that some of these schemes required application processes, including filling up forms, which many elderly, especially those living alone, were not aware of and had no access to. He quoted MP Ms Tin Pei Ling, who said that many elderly did not know about the schemes, who to go to, and how to apply for them.

He suggested a few platforms which the Ministries could leverage on:

(i) Apart from social workers, if we could tap on the recently set-up Pioneer Generation Ambassadors to help explain relevant policies and assist with the necessary application processes; and

(ii) Announce that the 24 Social Service Offices island-wide will be able to assist those in need; and

(iii) CC dialogue sessions might not be as effective, and the Government should leverage on mass media platforms to gain greater awareness for assistance schemes. Zhao suggested that the communications for schemes should be modelled after that of PGP, where there was effective use of songs and drama on television.

He added that while the Government pushes out more schemes, the challenge was in how to effectively communicate – and increase the accessibility of these schemes to the eligible or the needy.

Forum Letter (Chinese)

确保有需要者得到政府援助金

近期，政府宣布一系列金钱补助计划，都是为了建立一个更有爱心的包容性社会，帮助和解决弱势群体的需要。

单从照顾老年人这方面来看，我们有“就业奖励”计划让仍在工作的低收入者受惠；无其他资源可以依赖的年长者，也可获得公共援助金；已领受“建国一代”配套的65岁国人，在不久的将来又可领受新设立的“乐龄补贴”。此外，中低收入家庭的乐龄人士也可得到“居家护理”服务。

在医疗方面，所有上了年纪的国人，都可在基层医疗体系下的“社保援助”计划享有看家庭医生的医诊费折扣。

为帮助较低收入者面对高涨的生活费， 政府发放“消费税现金补助券”，协助他们减轻生活费负担，而55岁以上者更可在今年进一步获得“额外乐龄花红消费税现金补助券”。

另一方面，为了提升年长者的行动能力， 在“乐龄助行基金”框架下，可为有需要者提供津贴购买助行配备和其他辅助用品，如拐杖、轮椅、座椅式便桶、淋浴椅、医院病床、甚至眼镜和助听器等。

由于所发放的援助金当中有一些必须呈上申请书，经审查和批准后才能得到；可惜许多年长者，特别是独居老人，对各种援助计划缺乏认识没申请就无从得益。马林百列集选区议员陈佩玲在2013年3月的国会财政预算案辩论时曾说：“很多年长者根本不知道有什么计划、向谁申请、如何申请? ”

其实，我们可通过许多现有资源和管道，让大多数（即使不能达到全部）符合条件者都能得到各项援助金。以下是我的建议:
一、除了靠社工登门拜访，我们刚成立的建国一代大使团队，是否可以同时充当有关援助计划的解说者和代申请者；
二、分布在全岛各市镇的24间社会服务中心，是居民有问题时最常到的地方，也可在这个事情上协助有需要者；
三、在民众俱乐部／联络所举办讨论会戓在他处办公众论坛效果可能不大，但大众传谋在这方面的宣传肯定能起到更加积极的作用，在电视上为建国一代配套所制作的歌舞短剧不妨再如法泡制。

如果我国的经济继续有增长和财政盈余，我们不难预想往后政府还会拨出更多援助金，但难的是如何能让所有无收入或低收入的年长者，以及弱势家庭都能享有政府为他们所准备旳援助金才是关键和挑战。所以，想方设法确保有需要者都能得到政府援助金是很有必要的。