SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will review advertising controls to allow some healthcare professionals to promote their services safely and responsibly.

Currently, the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) prohibits providers of unlicensed services from advertising that they can "treat" medical conditions. This restriction applies to both regulated and unregulated healthcare professionals who are not HCSA licensees and operate their own clinics.

Given the established standards and governance for professions regulated by a professional act or under the oversight of a professional association, MOH is relooking advertising controls for allied health professionals, like clinical psychologists and speech therapists, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners.

"Certain professions, such as allied health and traditional Chinese medicine, are regulated under their respective professional Acts. Their interventions are low risk, because they manage conditions in accordance with clear standards of practice set by their professional bodies," said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary in setting out his ministry's spending plans for the year.

"Even so, they will still have to ensure the accuracy of their advertisement."

They will still have to adhere to the advertising requirements under the Healthcare Services Act, which include controls on content and the media to ensure accuracy of claims.

FAMILY MEDICINE TO BECOME A SPECIALTY

The ministry will also formally recognise family medicine as a medical specialty in Singapore, given its rising importance in improving population health.

“This acknowledges the expertise that well-trained family physicians are able to provide for patients with complex care needs across different age groups,” said MOH.

Details on entry criteria, training requirements and implementation timeline will be released later this year.

This move aligns Singapore with Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia, which already recognise family medicine as a specialty.

"With their broad skillsets and long-term relationships with patients, family medicine specialists will enable more patients with complex care needs to receive comprehensive care in the community," said Dr Puthucheary. 

In Singapore, the Specialists Accreditation Board determines the qualifications, experience and other conditions, as well as the training programmes which are recognised for accreditation as specialists. The board has approved a joint proposal from the College of Family Physicians Singapore and the Chapter of Family Physicians under the Academy of Medicine Singapore.

Doctors with relevant postgraduate qualifications and experience can still seek accreditation as family physicians under the Family Physicians Accreditation Board.

INTEGRATIVE CARE, EXPANDED CAPACITY

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung also outlined MOH's plans to adapt healthcare delivery for an ageing population and patients with multiple conditions.

While specialists are currently skilled in managing specific organ systems, principal doctors will increasingly need to lead care teams in coordinating and managing cross-specialty issues to consolidate care for their patients, said MOH.

"Our profile of our patients are changing – generally older, with multiple health conditions requiring simultaneous management and co-ordination. We are therefore re-organising the workforce," said Mr Ong. 

"This means complementing specialists who are very skilled in managing specific organ systems, with doctors with a broader breadth of expertise who can anchor, coordinate, and manage cross-specialty issues for patients."

With this, patients with complex care needs could potentially reduce the number of referrals and hospital visits.

“Patients will benefit from holistic care coordinated by a care team, led by a team leader who can tap on the collective expertise of the team to meet the patients’ care needs,” said MOH.

Mr Ong said that over the last five years, Singapore has expanded hospital capacity by over 6,300 beds.

MOH had earlier said that it will expand hospital capacity by about 2,800 hospital beds from now to 2030, adding to the current 12,000 public hospital beds.

With the addition of a new Tengah General and Community Hospital and Eastern General Hospital Campus, Singapore will have a total of 13 public acute hospitals and 12 community hospitals by the early 2030s.

Seven new polyclinics will also be built by 2030. Five in Bidadari, Kaki Bukit, Serangoon, Tengah and Yew Tee are slated for completion by 2027, and two in Bishan and Taman Jurong will be completed around 2030.

In addition, six existing polyclinics in Bukit Merah, Clementi, Jurong, Outram, Queenstown and Toa Payoh will be redeveloped.