SPEECH BY DR KOH POH KOON, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT SINGHEALTH WELLNESS UNVEILED

Mr Cheng Wai Keung, Chairman, SingHealth

Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Group CEO, SingHealth

Associate Professor Phua Ghee Chee, Group Director, Staff Wellness, SingHealth

Colleagues, partners,

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

1.       A very good afternoon. I am happy to be here with you today at the SingHealth Wellness Unveiled event. It is especially meaningful that we are gathering on World Mental Health Day – a day that countries around the world celebrate and observe the importance of raising awareness and mobilise efforts in support of mental health since 1992.

National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy

2.       Mental health awareness has grown significantly globally and in Singapore, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has accelerated this awareness, and made people much more open and informed about this issue. The desire to talk about it, and the preparedness to speak about it, is a lot more now in society. The pandemic has brought mental health awareness to the fore and highlighted the urgency to prioritise mental health needs and support. This led to the formation of the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being in July 2021, that was chaired previously by SMS Janil Puthucheary. The Taskforce developed and launched the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy in 2023 to address existing gaps, including expanding the capacity of mental health services to further strengthen Singapore's mental health support system.

3.       Facilitating access to mental health support is one key area under the Strategy. To ensure this, MOH implemented the First Stops for Mental Health (FSMH) to provide clear, "no wrong door" approach for anyone in mental distress or crisis and guide individuals to obtain the help they need. In June this year, we launched national mindline 1771, Singapore's first national mental health helpline operating 24/7 around the clock. To date, more than 14,000 calls and text messages have been attended to since launch, demonstrating that support is both needed and actively sought after by the community.

Improving workplace mental health and well-being

4.       The workplace is an important touchpoint. For those who are working, it could also be a place where they experience mental distress and mental stress. This is why a key focus area of the strategy is improving workplace mental health and well-being, including within our own public healthcare institutions. Healthcare workers like yourselves are a vital component of Singapore's workforce, yet you face unique occupational stressors including high-pressure environments, and emotional demands from patient care. And this has created significant risks for burnout and mental health challenges.

5.       Research shows that the well-being of healthcare workers has a direct impact on the quality of patient care. Healthcare workers experiencing burnout, stress, or fatigue may encounter challenges in maintaining patient safety standards and delivering optimal patient interactions. It is quite imaginable that someone who is already facing mental distress would not have much of a reservoir left to him or her to provide the care and love that patients desire. This, as I said earlier, will result in compromised quality of patient care. This also negatively impacts workforce retention as many healthcare professionals consider leaving the profession due to the demanding environment. They find that the environment is just too much for them to bear. Hence, supporting healthcare worker well-being contributes to better care delivery, improved patient experiences, and ultimately a stronger, more sustainable healthcare workforce.

National Initiatives in Well-being Support

6.       We have rolled out national initiatives to support healthcare worker well-being. In December 2023, we launched the Tripartite Framework for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment in Healthcare, establishing zero tolerance for abuse of healthcare workers. The framework provides a common definition of abuse and harassment, outlines standardised protocols for healthcare workers to manage and de-escalate cases, and highlights the importance of clear reporting mechanisms for staff who are victims of abuse and harassment. Public healthcare institutions like SingHealth have since strengthened processes, including articulating measures to deter perpetrators as well as introducing support systems for healthcare workers.

7.       Each healthcare cluster now has a Chief Wellness Officer dedicated to leading system-wide change that prioritises healthcare workers' well-being. We have also introduced targeted initiatives for specific healthcare worker groups. For example, for junior doctors, we have progressively implemented uniform work hour guidelines, introduced career-related measures, and enhanced the Hospital Clinician Track to enable earlier career entry.

SingHealth’s Comprehensive Approach to Staff Wellness

8.       I am heartened that SingHealth has embraced these national initiatives, and building on these, has gone one step further to enhance staff well-being.

9.       Since July last year, SingHealth has established Staff Protection Offices in every institution, coordinated under the SingHealth Staff Protection Council. These Staff Protection Offices raise awareness of the importance of staff protection and supportive initiatives. They also curate a library of resources and evaluate training needs to equip staff in this area. To date, they have trained around 40 staff from various professional groups, who now form a certified pool of trainers to train other frontline staff in prevention, de-escalation, and the handling of abusive situations.

10.     Recognising that administrative burden and inefficient processes can contribute to workload, SingHealth has introduced the GROSS initiative — Get Rid of Silly Stuff — to streamline processes and remove unnecessary work so staff can focus on what truly matters. The approach involves making workflows smoother, removing outdated digital systems, and cutting non-essential tasks so staff can redirect energy towards meaningful work that drives real change. I think this is a dream of every worker, and these kinds of initiatives will be something that every organisation need to undertake. GROSS ensures all parts of the health system work together towards shared goals while creating a safe environment where staff feel comfortable questioning and improving existing processes without fear of criticism. So it really encourages everyone to identify issues, speak up, and to make their own workplace better than it was before.

11.     Most recently, SingHealth has launched a wellness platform providing staff with complimentary access to clinical psychologists and counsellors, both virtually and in person, as well as a 24-hour crisis helpline. Given the demanding schedules of our healthcare workers, having this flexibility to get help when and how you prefer it makes a real difference. The platform also provides the cluster with insights into overall organisational well-being through completely anonymised data on psychological safety, mental well-being, employee engagement, and work burnout, thereby allowing SingHealth to introduce targeted and relevant interventions to tackle prevailing concerns in a data-driven approach, so that you can identify where the pain points are and deal with it in a targeted manner.

Recognition and Encouragement

12.     These are just some examples of SingHealth's approach to staff well-being, and I am sure we will hear more about these initiatives later this afternoon. I want to commend SingHealth for putting staff well-being first, as well as partners, such as ACE Team Foundation, which have generously supported SingHealth’s efforts in developing and nurturing healthcare workers in this area.

13.     To everyone here today, please make use of these resources. If you need to call the helpline, please use it. When you want to talk to a professional counsellor, fix that appointment. When you need to take a break, come to this very space that I am standing here today and this is a place we are going to unveil later, which will be transformed into a purpose-built staff lounge in the coming months. Having practised in the Singapore General Hospital for some time now, training as a medical student, I remember fondly that medical staff lounge we had at the top of Block 7. One of the things that helps me to relieve stress – it is not the coffee, not the benches – but the two arcade machines there. Sometimes, simple things like these, where we spend five to ten minutes to get things out of our system, let go of some of the pressures to face another challenge that comes along. Taking care of yourself is not being selfish — it is absolutely essential. When we take care of our own wellbeing, we rejuvenate, restore our capacity, it puts us in a better place to help others. For all of us in healthcare, let us learn to self-love, take care of ourselves, put ourselves in the best position to give the best care that patients deserve.  

Closing

14.     On this World Mental Health Day, even as we put our patients at the heart of all that we do, let us to remember the importance of prioritising healthcare worker mental health and well-being. The initiatives that I have mentioned today represent our collective commitment to creating workplaces where you can truly thrive and feel supported.

15.     As we move forward, let us continue to build on these foundations, ensuring that the care and dedication you show your patients is also matched by the support and care you receive from the organisation, and from your peers and those around you. Thank you, and I hope you all have a meaningful and stress-free World Mental Health Day. Thank you very much.