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Skills Frameworkfor HealthcareA Guide to Occupations and Skillsskillsfuture.sg

ContentsAbout the Skills Framework01Singapore’s Healthcare Sector02The Evolving Healthcare Landscape04Skills in Demand 05Desired Attributes 06Take Your Career Further07Realise Your Potential - Take the Next Step Forward13Career Tracks14Skills Map Healthcare Support18 Nursing22 Therapy Support 48 Occupational Therapy 56 Physiotherapy72 Speech Therapy88 Operations102 Pharmacy Support114Overview of Technical Skills and Competencies135Overview of Generic Skills and Competencies142Supporting Organisations and Acknowledgements146Wage Information148Skills Framework for Healthcare: Career Pathways152The information in this publication serves as a guide for individuals, employers and training providers. SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore,and the Ministry of Health provide no warranty whatsoever about the contents of this document, and do not warrant that the courses of actionmentioned in this document will secure employment, promotion, or monetary benefits.Published in December 2018

About the Skills FrameworkSingapore’s Healthcare SectorThe Skills Framework is a SkillsFuture initiative developed for the Singapore workforce to promote skillsmastery and lifelong learning. Jointly developed by SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore and Ministryof Health, together with practitioners, employers, professional associations, education and training providers,and representatives from associations and unions, the Skills Framework for Healthcare provides usefulinformation on:Singapore is widely recognised for having an efficient and effective healthcare system that has achieved goodpublic health outcomes for Singaporeans. The life expectancy of Singaporeans has steadily increased and isnow among the highest in the world—from 75.6 years in 1999 to 82.9 years in 2016. Infant mortality rate hasalso fallen from 3.3 to 2.4 per 1,000 live births over the same period.This system is underpinned by reliable healthcare services, strong infrastructure, sound policies,and a dedicated and skilled workforce providing value-driven care across the care continuum.12345Primary CareSectorInformationCareerPathwaysOccupationsand Job RolesExisting andEmerging SkillsPrimary care services are provided in polyclinics and general practitionerclinics. As the first line of care in the community, primary care professionalsprovide holistic and personalised care for individuals of different agegroups. This includes the management of acute and chronic illnesses, andkeeping the population healthy through preventive health measures such asscreening and vaccinations. Primary care professionals also help coordinatepatients’ care with other providers and guide patients who require morespecialised medical attention in navigating the healthcare system.TrainingProgrammes forSkills Upgradingand MasteryWith the Skills Framework, individuals are equipped to make informed decisions aboutcareer choices as well as take responsibility for skills upgrading and career planning.Number of Establishments:20 Polyclinics3,200 General Practitionerand Dental ClinicsAcute CareAssess CareerInterestsPrepare forDesired JobsFind Avenuesto Close Skills GapRenew, Upgradeand Deepen SkillsUnderstand careerpathwaysUnderstandskills andcompetenciesrequired Identifyrelevant trainingprogrammes toequip oneself withthe required skillsand competenciesPlan for careerdevelopment/transitionRecognise personalattributes required articipate inPon-the-job trainingopportunitiesprovided bycompanies1Recognise skillsand competenciesrequired for theintended job roleAcute care services are provided in general hospitals and include multidisciplinary inpatient, specialist outpatient, and 24-hour emergencyservices. In addition, there are national specialty centres that providespecialised services such as cancer care, eye care and dental care.Number of Establishments:18 Hospitals8 Specialty Centres Identify trainingprogrammes toupgrade anddeepen skills2

Singapore’s Healthcare SectorThe Evolving Healthcare LandscapeCommunity CareCommunity care services are provided in community hospitals, homecare, centre-based care facilities and long-term residential care facilities.These services are provided for individuals who require continued care andtreatment usually after discharge from acute hospitals, or for communitydwelling seniors who may be frail and in need of assistance with theiractivities of daily living, to enable them to age well in the neighbourhoods theyare familiar with.Number of Establishments:9 Community Hospitals117 Centre-basedCare Facilities1Demand for healthcare and aged care services is expected to grow as our population ages rapidly. About 3 in4 Singaporeans aged 65 and above are affected by diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension. Our healthcaresystem has to evolve to meet these challenges and ensure that Singaporeans continue to enjoy goodhealthcare that is affordable and sustainable.75 Nursing Homes and HospicesBeyond Healthcare to Health30 Home Care Providers2We are shifting beyond providing healthcare to promoting health so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoygood quality of life for longer. Health promotion, preventive health services as well as early health screening andinterventions will be stepped up to promote healthier lifestyles for all Singaporeans. Primary care and preventivehealth capabilities are being built up to deliver and support the delivery of these services.Centre-based Care Facilities refer to eldercare centres that provide day care, dementia day care, community rehabilitation and/or Integrated Home andDay Care (IHDC). The figure only includes facilities that are receiving subvention from MOH and/or accepting referrals from Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).1Home Care includes a range of services including medical, nursing, and personal care to help frail or disabled seniors living alone at home. The figure onlyincludes Home Care Providers that are receiving subvention from MOH. A single provider operating multiple branches is only counted once.2Healthcare Workforce of 97,000*Beyond Hospital to CommunityAdministrativeand Ancillary Staff19%Doctors14%Dentists2%We are transforming our healthcare delivery system from one that is built around the hospital to one that isfocused on the individual. Community care capabilities will be strengthened to provide Singaporeans withaccess to convenient, affordable and appropriate care. Seniors will be supported with quality care in thecommunity or at home so that they can age gracefully in the environment they are familiar with.Support CareStaff10%Allied HealthProfessionals9%Nurses43%Pharmacists3%*3Data as at end 2017Beyond Quality to ValueWe are shifting the mindset and behaviours of healthcare professionals to focus not just on deliveringhigh quality care outcomes, but also to ensure that those outcomes are commensurate with costs. Healthtechnology assessment capability is being built up to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of healthtechnologies to help Singaporeans and clinicians make better informed choices on better value treatmentoptions. MOH is also embarking on system-level changes that will result in overall improvement in efficiencyand productivity. This includes simplifying healthcare delivery to stakeholders through initiatives such asinter-professional collaboration and IT solutions, without compromising patient safety.4

Skills in DemandDesired AttributesThe healthcare sector is evolving rapidly in tandem with the needs of our ageing population and advancesin medical sciences and technology. To meet these challenges, our healthcare professionals have tocontinuously upgrade and equip themselves with these skills in demand.The healthcare sector provides diverse opportunities across the primary, community and acute settings forindividuals seeking a rewarding and enriching career. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, lovecaring for people from all walks of life, and possess these desired attributes, you will find a rewarding andsatisfying career in healthcare.Community CareGerontology /GeriatricsMaintain and improve thephysical, mental and socialwell-being of populationgroups in the community,including in areas such ashealth promotion, chronicdisease management,rehabilitation andpalliative careManage healthcare needsof the elderly, and preventand treat age-relateddiseases to maintain theirmobility, independenceand quality of lifeHealth TechnologyAssessmentEvaluate the relativevalue of new healthtechnologies versus thestandard of care basedon current clinical andeconomic evidence toinform policy and ationApply an integratedapproach to coordinateand deliver interprofessional interventionsto patientsCompassionTeamworkAdaptabilityHave empathy for patientsand a desire to improvetheir well-beingAble to work with adiverse workforce ofvarious professionals andoccupations to achieve acommon goalAdopt a positive attitudeto take on challengesin a fast-changingenvironmentData AnalyticsResilienceAnalyticalUse data to make factbased decisions forhealthcare serviceplanning, patient/clientmanagement, anddisease monitoringPersevere in the face ofchallenges and difficultiesEnjoy analysing issuesand able to understandthe interconnectednessof different care services,institutions and stakeholderswithin the context of a largerhealthcare system6