Speech by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport, at Parkway College Graduation Ceremony, Concorde Hotel, 15 November 2013

Dr Lim Cheok Peng

Vice Chairman, Parkway Pantai Limited

Dr Tan See Leng

Board of Director, Parkway College

Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Parkway Pantai Limited

Mrs Nellie Tang

Board of Director, Parkway College

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer, Parkway College

Graduands

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1.           Good afternoon.  It gives me great pleasure to join you today at this year’s Parkway College of Nursing and Allied Health Graduation Ceremony.  Congratulations to all 167 nursing, healthcare management, health administration, and diagnostic radiography graduands.  I commend you for your ongoing pursuit of higher learning as healthcare professionals and administrators to contribute to the health and well-being of many patients.  I am glad that your parents and your families are also here to celebrate your achievements and witness this significant milestone in your life. 

Importance of Healthcare Professionals and Administrators

2.           Healthcare is an industry where individuals can develop lifelong careers, deepen their professional expertise and most importantly, make a real difference to the lives of the people around you.  Nurses form the backbone of the healthcare workforce.  Besides providing 24/7 evidence-based care for patients, they practise in a wide range of settings and develop professionally in clinical expertise, administration, education, research, informatics and quality improvements.  The allied health professions are also an integral part of the healthcare workforce.  Diagnostic radiographers work with patients to produce diagnostic images and perform three-dimensional reconstructions of the body to enable the healthcare team to accurately diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries.  In addition, healthcare administrators play an important role in ensuring that the healthcare institutions are efficiently run to provide good healthcare services to their patients. 

Recognition of Parkway College

3.           With Singapore’s ageing population, the demand for healthcare services is set to increase.  As we expand facilities and increase service provision, we will need a well-trained and competent healthcare workforce to operate the facilities and to serve the patients and the larger community.  Thus, private healthcare education providers such as Parkway College play an important complementary role to our public educational institutions, in expanding and enhancing the healthcare manpower training pipeline and capability. 

4.           Since its beginnings as an education and training arm of Parkway Pantai Group in 2008, Parkway College has trained more than 400 graduands, providing them an enriching student-centric learning environment.  For example, the teacher to student ratio has been kept small to enhance each student’s learning aptitude – about one teacher to 25 students at lectures, and one teacher to five students for skill-based learning.  In addition, clinical instructors from Parkway College are assigned to hospitals, along with the students, to provide mentorship and support at clinical settings.     

Team-Based Care and Continuous Learning

5.           Working in the healthcare sector can be challenging, with pressures arising from managing patients’ rising expectations to dealing with public health emergencies that may arise from time to time.  The healthcare system is also continuously evolving, and becoming more complex as new technologies and processes are introduced.

6.           To cope with these challenges, you will need to learn to work with your fellow healthcare professionals in a team-based environment, collaborating closely to ensure that care is delivered efficiently, and the patient has a positive experience.

7.           Even as you graduate today, it is important that your learning continues.  You will need to continuously improve yourself and hone your skills, and keep up to date on the latest medical developments.  There are many available programmes for upgrading within the healthcare sector, and I encourage you to make full use of these resources.

Conclusion

8.           It is fulfilling and rewarding to be able to make a significant positive impact on the lives of many people.  I applaud the hard work and dedication of our healthcare professionals and administrators and hope that many more will be inspired by their example and follow their footsteps to join the healthcare sector. 

9.           In closing, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you again on your graduation.  I wish you all success in your careers ahead.

10.       Thank you.