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Update on Manpower Gap in Healthcare Sector and Current Shortfall of Nurses

7 October 2019

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Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC

Question No. 1428

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the healthcare sector has managed to fill the manpower gap of 30,000 more healthcare workers from 2015 to 2020; (b) what is the current shortfall of nurses; and (c) what is the adoption rate of flexi-working hours and part-time working arrangements among nurses.

Written Answer

1      Singapore’s overall healthcare workforce grew significantly by about 18,000 staff over the last four years. For nurses, there were about 42,000 nurses registered with the Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) at the end of 2018, up from about 38,000 as at end 2014.

2       To optimize the use of manpower resources, we have embarked on efforts to raise productivity. These include initiatives on automation, streamlining of work processes, and shifting of care from hospitals into the community where appropriate.

3      On average between 2015 and 2018, around 3% of our practising nurses across the entire healthcare sector, work on a part-time basis1.

[1] Based on declarations by practicing nurses to SNB during renewal of practicing certification.

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