Paramedic regulation and training

9 July 2013

Question No. 1259

Name of Person: Dr Lam Pin Min

Question

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether there is a need for paramedic services to be regulated; and (b) how is the standard of paramedic training determined and maintained to ensure that patient care is not compromised.

Answer

1        The Emergency Ambulance Services in Singapore are provided by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).  The emergency ambulance crews are led by Paramedics who are trained to handle all medical and trauma emergencies.  The service operates round the clock and will respond to any 995 call for medical emergency in Singapore. SCDF also conducts clinical, operational audits and protocol reviews regularly to maintain the high standard of emergency medical care rendered to patients. The paramedics are also subject to oversight by an independent external medical advisory committee under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

2        In 2009, SCDF embarked on public-private partnership to engage private ambulance operators to add capacity to SCDF emergency ambulance service. These ambulances have to meet SCDF's standards for ambulance design, equipping and their staff have to meet the requisite medical skills certifications as part of the contract to operate with the SCDF EAS. 

3        As the ambulance sector develops, there is a need to upgrade the capabilities of ambulance personnel. A key component in the Pre-hospital Emergency Care (PEC) Transformation Plan, jointly developed by MOH and MHA, is the professional development of ambulance personnel, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and medical transporters/drivers. This plan will cover the development of professional standards, competencies and related training of these personnel. 

4        The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Singapore Armed Forces Medical Training Institute already offer essential training programmes for the paramedic trainees. MOH and MHA are also working on a framework for continuing education to enhance the skills and training of paramedics in the areas of cardiac emergencies, trauma, paediatrics, and the management of other time-sensitive emergency conditions. To raise the standards of other ambulance personnel working closely with the paramedics, MOH and MHA have partnered the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to develop a Pre-Hospital Medical Care Track, administered by SingHealth’s Alice Lee Institute of Advanced Nursing, for EMTs and Medical Transporters in Singapore.