Speech By Mr Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary For Ministry Of Health, at the 26th Singapore Pharmacy Congress 2016

Dr Lou Huei-Xin, Chairperson, 26th S’pore Pharmacy Congress Organising Committee,
Ms Ng Hong Yen, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore,
Asst Prof Lita Chew, Chief Pharmacist,
Distinguished guests and speakers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good morning. I am delighted to join you at this 26th Singapore Pharmacy Congress. Let me extend a warm welcome in particular to our overseas speakers and guests for making your way to this event. I’m sure your presence will add value, colour and substance to the event.

2. Countries all around the world strive to deliver accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for their citizens in a sustainable way. Some do it better than others. By all accounts, Singapore is not doing too badly, whether it is in health & treatment outcomes, access to health services, and efficiency of national healthcare spending.

Transforming Our Healthcare System

3. Yet, we know that our healthcare system has to transform. We have to transform because our population is aging rapidly. Our disease pattern is changing – towards higher incidence of chronic diseases. Public expectations are rising. We also need to be mindful of the manpower and fiscal resources we are consuming in order for our system to be sustainable. We need to transform now, not when problems really hit.

4. To transform, we need to make 3 important shifts. First, we need to move beyond healthcare to health. This means being more effective in promoting and supporting healthy living and active ageing. Encouraging and enabling Singaporeans to lead healthier lives and help them prevent or delay the onset of diseases.

5. Second, we need to move beyond the hospital to the community. The centre of gravity of our healthcare system today is too focussed on the acute hospital. Yet, we know that the hospital is the most intensive and expensive setting for delivering healthcare and many of our Singaporeans may not even need it. We need to shift the centre of gravity away from the hospitals to the community. We need our system to be anchored by strong primary care, and complemented by an effective intermediate and long term care sector. Patient care across different settings (primary, acute, intermediate and long-term) should be integrated so that care is patient-centric.

6. Third, we need to look beyond quality to value. Patients and healthcare practitioners aspire to use the latest technologies, treatments, drugs, interventions, and implants. However, we cannot just use this as the basis. We need to choose care that is appropriate to our needs. Good enough care that is effective and delivers the outcome, not necessarily the latest and the most expensive. We should adopt tests and technologies; drugs and implants; treatments and services, that are not just effective but also productive and cost effective.

Pharmacy & Pharmacists Play A Key Role

7. At MOH, we talk about how healthcare professionals need to support this shift. I also believe that pharmacy and pharmacists play a key role in these shifts and the larger healthcare transformation we need. Your role is no less important. In 2014, the Chief Pharmacist’s Office at MOH led the development of a 10-year National Pharmacy Strategy. It envisions pharmacy services that are focused on the following:
(i) Achieving better health for the population,
(ii) Advancing preventive care within communities,
(iii) Promoting safe and effective medication use, and
(iv) Encouraging and enabling pharmacists to play an active role in care integration. 

8. As you can tell, there is close alignment between the National Pharmacy Strategy and the healthcare system shifts which I just shared. In fact, we are already beginning to see the impact that pharmacy can play in our larger healthcare transformation. Let me cite three areas where we have seen this happening.

Facilitating Health Awareness and Self-Care

9. First, let’s talk about the efforts being made in promoting health awareness and self-care. Since 2011, the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS) has been organising “Know Your Medications” brown bag events in housing estates to engage and advise residents on safe and effective use of medication in managing their health. The theme of this year’s congress too - “Patients – Our Partner in Care” - is very much about empowering patients and caregivers in managing their health.

10. Self-care is indeed what all of us should do to establish and maintain health, and prevent and deal with illness. I am encouraged that the Society is launching a “Practice Guide for Minor Ailments” for pharmacists, in conjunction with the campaign on self-care at this Congress. This improves access to advice and medication for minor ailments, and promote care through community pharmacies.

Supporting Community Care

11. Second, pharmacists are also helping to level up community providers in intermediate and long term care. One example is the nursing homes. As we know, many nursing homes are operated by charities and volunteer welfare organisations. They are not very well-endowed or resourced and have to make very careful use of the donors’ money. I’m very pleased that PSS and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) have worked together for pharmacists to help nursing homes improve their medication management process in nursing homes. From 6 nursing homes in 2011, pharmacists are reaching out to 60 nursing homes today. We are now extending the services to day care centres.

12. Through such initiatives, the impact of the pharmacist has increased. They have helped the sector move towards achieving the Enhanced Nursing Home Standards. They are also stepping up to formalise geriatric pharmaceutical care services. All these efforts will improve the quality of life for our elderly; and pave the way towards shifting our approach to ageing and health beyond the hospital to the community.

Improving Productivity Via Innovative Solutions

13. Third, pharmacists are experimenting with innovative solutions to improve productivity and cost effectiveness. Some of these entail the redesign of supply chain processes for better access to medication and services. In Feb this year for example, SingHealth Polyclinic Pharmacy launched the “Prescription in Locker Box”, or the PilBox. This novel service, which started at Marine Parade Polyclinic, allows patients or their caregivers to self-collect prescription refills at any time during a pre-scheduled period from an automated locker facility located at the polyclinic.

14. Today, the Society will launch a set of “Guidelines for Supply and Delivery of Medications to Customers”. These guidelines, which have been endorsed by the Singapore Pharmacy Council and Chief Pharmacist’s Office at MOH, will further facilitate access to medications through alternative delivery options. These may include dispensing kiosks, public secured boxes and intermediaries like community pharmacies and other community settings. The scope has also been expanded to cover newly prescribed medications. I believe that this initiative can catalyse impactful service models that will lead to convenience and times savings for patients and efficiencies for pharmacies and clinics.

The Pharmacy Workforce

15. These are just three areas which I have come across where pharmacists are contributing to our ongoing healthcare transformation. There are many more that are ongoing. There are many more to come.

16. While I have spoken about pharmacists, I should add here that the involvement and contribution of our pharmacy technician workforce is just as important. Pharmacy technicians partner pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical care and medication management. They have a place in our National Pharmacy Strategy; they have a role to play on our healthcare transformation.

17. I am therefore happy to note that for the first time, pharmacy technicians are involved as part of the Congress organising committee. I am even more delighted that the inaugural Pharmacy Technicians Symposium will take place at this Congress.

Conclusion

18. Ladies and Gentlemen, the pharmacy profession in Singapore has come a long way. I thank you for the part you have played making possible the provision of quality healthcare in an accessible and affordable way. I hope to have you with us on our continued journey to transform our healthcare system so as bring about better health, better care and better life for our citizens.

19. Thank you. I wish you a fruitful and enjoyable Pharmacy Congress.