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25 Aug 2008
Question No: 693
Question
Name of the Person: Dr Lim Wee Kiak
To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current strength of qualified registered nurses and the shortfall against actual demand; (b) what is the current turnover of nurses in the Government sector; (c) what is being done to ensure a sufficient supply of trained nurses to cope with the advent of new hospitals in the next 10 years; (d) what is being done to further enhance the image of nurses to attract more to the profession; and (e) why are nurses not given a day off on or in lieu of Nurses’ Day.
Reply
Reply From MOH
1 There are currently 18,400 nurses actively practicing in Singapore, comprising 13,500 registered nurses and 4,900 enrolled nurses and midwives. This gives a nurse to population ratio of 1 to 249, a significant improvement as compared to say, 2001, when our ratio was 1 to 306. We aim to further improve on it and are working towards a ratio of 1 to 220 by 2015. This means an increase in the nurses’ population by 40%.
2 The bulk of these nurses, 67%, work in the public sector. The turnover of public sector nurses has improved over the years from 14% in 2001 to 9% last year. We will strive to reduce it further.
3 To meet the projected demand for nurses, we are working on several fronts. First, we have progressively stepped up the local training of nurses. Our current local training capacity is 1,875 intake per year, more than double the intake of 728 in 2001. We are raising it to 2,000 per year and will consider further increases in due course.
4 Second, we will continue to recruit foreign nurses to supplement our local supply. Currently, foreign nurses make up 15% of our total nurses population. There is scope to raise this proportion.
5 Third, we will continue to enhance the image and the value of nursing as a desirable profession. This requires the employers to provide challenging career opportunities and favourable working conditions to attract and retain the talented to join the profession. Increasing the nurse to population ratio is part of this strategy to enhance the working condition for our nurses. Our efforts have seen result, both in terms of increased student interest in nursing and the reduced attrition of nurses from the healthcare sector. But we must not relent in our effort to compete for our fair share of talent.
6 In this regard, we are grateful to the President for honoring nurses by hosting an annual reception at the Istana on every Nurses’ Day, August 1. As employers, healthcare institutions will make the effort to show their appreciation for their nurses on this day. Their gestures take many forms, ranging from awards to celebrations. Whether it should also include a ‘day off on or in lieu of Nurses’ Day’ is something for the employers to decide.