Parliamentary QA
Plans to Recognise Art Therapists as Allied Health Professionals under Allied Health Professions Act
10 May 2021
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NOTICE PAPER NO. 419
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 10 MAY 2021
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap
MP for Aljunied GRC
Question No. 725
To ask the Minister for Health whether there are plans to recognise art therapists as allied health professionals under the Allied Health Professions Act.
Answer
1 The Allied Health Professions Act provides for the registration of prescribed allied health professionals. One of the key objectives of the Act is to ensure patient safety and wellbeing by regulating allied health practices which may cause adverse outcomes if inadequately trained persons are allowed to practice.
2 Art therapy by its nature does not pose significant risk of harm to patients. There are presently 38[1] art therapists who are registered as members of the Art Therapists’ Association of Singapore (ATAS). The Ministry of Health currently has no plans to regulate art therapy under the AHPA.
[1] Source: Art Therapists' Association of Singapore website