Speech by Dr Lam Pin Min, Minister of State for Health, at 6th Trauma Recovery and Corporate Solutions (TRaCS) Conference, 24 June

Dr Lee Chien Earn, CEO of CGH

Prof Teo Eng Kiong, CMB of CGH

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning.

Introduction

1.         It gives me great pleasure to join you at the 6^th installment of the Trauma Recovery and Corporate Solutions Conference today. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our distinguished overseas participants, in particular the Board members of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies for their support. I hope you will find your stay here enjoyable and your experience pleasant.

Managing Trauma – Updates On Intervention Strategies

2.         I understand that the theme for this year’s conference is on the psychological aspects of trauma. This is timely as we read about people afflicted by accidents and violence almost on a daily basis, and these events can result in severe mental stress.

3.         In 2013, a World Health Organisation (WHO) study estimated 3.6 percent of the world population suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. The resulting stress disorder from surviving a traumatic event – or even being witness to one, is an illness with different manifestations. Unfortunately, PTSD often goes undiagnosed. Hence, detection and intervention at various levels would be needed for holistic management.

National Efforts In Managing Trauma

4.         In Singapore, MOH recognises the impact of trauma and its psychological effects, and various initiatives and support are in place at different settings.

5.         At the national level, there are staff from government agencies including MOH and its healthcare institutions who are trained as CARE (Caring Action in Response to an Emergency) officers, to provide onsite psychological first aid to affected persons when disaster happens.  For example, CARE officers were deployed during the AirAsia Flight QZ8501 incident in 2014 to support Singaporeans in distress.

6.         Beyond crises response, HPB has also put in place workplace mental health initiatives for employees to cope more effectively with stress in workplaces. Such initiatives include (i) the Working Minds curriculum, which is based on HPB’s mental wellbeing dimensions; and (ii) the Talk2Us hotline, which provides free, anonymous telephone counselling to help employees better manage stress and cope effectively with work demands.

7.         At the public hospitals, staff counselling services are developed under the Peer Support Programmes. Volunteer healthcare workers were trained in localised versions of crisis intervention and mental health first aid courses, where resiliency of the participants improved at the end of the training^[1].

8.         Patients who suffer traumatic stress would be screened with appropriate psychiatric intervention provided through early intervention programmes at three public hospitals^[2] . In the community, victims of domestic violence are offered help through counselling and social support at the Family Service Centres operated by charities and volunteer welfare organizations.

Conclusion 

9.         Indeed, whether during peacetime or crises, we need the involvement of all stakeholders working at various levels to facilitate identification before appropriate interventions are provided to victims of traumatic stress. Beyond that, such support increases emotional resilience on the individual-level, as well as in the communities.

10.       I am heartened to see so many professionals gathered here to learn more about improving the care of those with psychological issues of trauma. I wish all of you a truly enjoyable learning experience.

Thank you.

^[1] AOM Chan, Chan YH, Jass PC Kee. 2012. Improving Resistance and Resiliency through Crisis Intervention Training. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, vol 14, No.2, pp77-86.

^[2] While all acute hospitals have psychiatry department and can treat PTSD, only CGH, KKH & TTSH have early intervention programmes for trauma patients.