Opening Speech for Minister of State Dr Amy Khor at the 3rd National Occupational Therapist's Conference

Ms Florence Cheong, President, Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists

Mr. Muthuraman Sellathurai Pathar, President, Malaysia Occupational Therapist Association

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1 It gives me great pleasure to join you here at this 3rd National Occupational Therapy Conference which is held in conjunction with the 10th Singapore-Malaysia Occupational Therapy Symposium. Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to all Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy students from Singapore, Malaysia and other countries.

2 Since its introduction to colonial Singapore in the late 1930s, Occupational Therapists have grown in professional practice standards and status. This has also been the case, I believe, in Malaysia and elsewhere. As medical science and health care practices continue to advance, Occupational Therapists have and will continue to become integral members of healthcare teams. Across the world, we see a shift towards team-based care where Occupational Therapists work alongside doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals to plan and provide patient care. This conference is an indication of your commitment and desire to strive towards greater heights.

3 Today, the healthcare challenges that Singapore and other countries in the region have to grapple with are becoming vastly more complex than ever. With a rapidly ageing population and rise in chronic diseases, we have to constantly reshape our healthcare system to meet these challenges. Elderly patients require extra rehabilitation after being discharged from the hospital and this means ensuring the continuity of care between acute hospitals and community care. Transformation of our healthcare sectors to channel resources to right-site such care therefore becomes crucial.

4 In Singapore, we have around 350 Occupational Therapists working in the public healthcare clusters and long term care institutions. Demand for Occupational Therapists will continue to rise given our ageing population, and we will need about 300 more occupational therapists to meet the manpower demands of our public and long term care sectors by 2020. Occupational Therapists play a vital role in enabling patients to transit from acute care to the community. Through occupational therapy, individuals are able to resume their normal lives by adapting to their functional capabilities. Tan Tock Seng Hospital, for example, has Occupational Therapists as part of its Continuing and Community Care team comprising doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. This team provides training to caregivers in the patients’ homes, as well as staff and volunteers from community service providers. Through working in the community, they are able to forge strong links with people out there. I understand that at Changi General Hospital, Occupational Therapists have collaborated with the Alzheimers’ Disease Association to provide on-the-job training for eldercare workers to conduct therapy activities for persons with dementia in their homes.

5 Such an integrated network of healthcare providers woven into the community will improve the quality of care and health outcomes. Since 9 September 2012, the Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists (SAOT) had established a strategic partnership with the Health Promotion Board. This partnership will enable Occupational Therapists to work with corporate Health Ambassadors to conduct falls risk assessments and impart home safety tips. I understand that SAOT will be signing a MOU with HPB to expand capacity of their role to serve the needs of the community. I believe similar links have been or will be forged in the other countries represented here as well.

6 This conference provides a platform for Occupational Therapists to share the successes and challenges of adapting their practices in different care settings. Aligned with the conference theme, there is an Innovative Practice track that will allow participants to share creative practices that transcend boundaries beyond the regular treatment setting. In this respect, I would like mention two new roles that Occupational Therapists have undertaken in our institutions. At the National University Hospital, Occupational Therapists form part of a team that supports the mental well-being of new mothers at risk of developing mood disorders. The Occupational Therapists also offer public education through parenting workshops. At the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Occupational Therapists are engaged as consultants in the “Enhancements for Active SEniors” or EASE programme. This programme is funded by the Ministry of Health and implemented by the Housing & Development Board. Under this program, Occupational Therapists developed a standard set of retrofit installation guidelines for older adults living in HDB flats and provided training to 200 contractors; for example, to include and improve on the designs of grab bars and ramps. This is a huge contribution to preventive care by improving home safety for the elderly besides enabling retrofitting for the disabled. Such innovative and public-spirited initiatives will benefit many citizens. It is very evident therefore that Occupational Therapists can have a substantial and positive influence in the community.

7 I would like also to take this opportunity to thank the Occupational Therapy profession which has helped to enable the Singapore Institute of Technology to successfully collaborate with Trinity College Dublin to launch the Occupational Therapy degree conversion programme in September this year. This programme complements the Diploma programme at the Nanyang Polytechnic to build the capabilities of our Occupational Therapists. I understand that the pioneer batch started the course last week and I look forward to this first batch of graduates in Singapore.

8 Each of you plays a critical role in healthcare and preventive care. For the role models amongst you, your leadership and guidance to the present and future generations of Occupational Therapists will ensure that our Occupational Therapists will be well prepared for tomorrow’s healthcare needs.

9 I believe that through mutual sharing and knowledge exchange in meetings such as this, you will be inspired to bring your profession to greater heights and enable a safer and better life for all. I hope that all our overseas friends will also be able to find time to take in the sights and sounds of Singapore. My very best wishes and thank you for inviting me to open this Conference.