Time Banking in Healthcare Institution for Volunteer Work Performed

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider launching a pilot project for time banking in a healthcare institution whereby hours put into volunteer work can be converted into credits and deposited in a healthcare database for later use at the healthcare institution where the volunteer work took place.

Volunteers play an important role in the public healthcare system. We have around 2,000 volunteers of all ages across the public healthcare institutions (PHIs) who contribute their time in areas ranging from cancer support, to organising recreational activities for patients, and providing care and pastoral services. These volunteers include ex-patients, members of the public, students and even staff, who do so out of their passion to serve.

Our PHIs regularly review their volunteer management practices to incorporate new ideas where feasible and appropriate. Whilst the concept of time-banking is an interesting one, it is important to ensure that we do not inadvertently crowd out the intrinsic motivation of our volunteers to serve others.

Our PHIs show recognition and appreciation for our volunteers through various initiatives, such as annual volunteer celebrations, training to develop leadership and patient interaction skills, and recognition awards. We will continue to study the landscape to explore how to further improve the recognition of the efforts of our volunteers and learn from best practices.