Employers' Recognition of Hospitalisation Leave Issued by Community Hospitals

Ms K Thanaletchimi asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether hospitalisation leave issued directly by community hospitals to an employee is recognised as hospitalisation leave by the employer; and (b) whether the Employment Act will provide for such recognition in light of increasing follow-up visits made by patients with community hospitals directly.

Mr Speaker, in our reply to a similar question previously filed by the Member, we explained that, in general, community hospitals receive patients who are referred from acute hospitals. Hospitalisation leave certified by a doctor from an acute hospital remains valid under the Employment Act (EA), even if the patient is subsequently transferred to a community hospital. This remains the typical route by which patients enter the community hospital.

Hospitalisation leave issued for patients directly admitted to a community hospital should be recognised under the EA, similar to stays in other public hospitals. However, we understand that only a very small proportion of community hospital patients are directly admitted, that is, admitted without being referred by an acute hospital. Such patients are typically referred by nursing homes or home care providers and would not be employees in need of hospitalisation leave.

Currently, the EA does not name the community hospitals as among the list of approved medical institutions for certifying hospitalisation leave. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) intends to work with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to update this list and will consult the tripartite partners before finalising it.

I must thank the Minister for that. I would just like to know the timeline for that revision to happen.

The review is ongoing and when we are ready, we will update Members.

I would also like to ask the Minister if the Primary Care Network clinics are considered to be on par with the general practitioner clinics, so that, under the EA, the medical certificates (MCs) are recognised and also, they are able to get reimbursements from the employers.

Mr Speaker, the recognition of MCs for paid sick leave as provided for in the EA has two parts to it. One part of it is that if it is issued by a Government medical officer, it will be recognised for the purposes of paid sick leave. Alternatively, if the medical practitioner is registered under the Medical Registration Act and is part of a panel of company-approved practitioners, then the MCs are also recognised for paid sick leave. So, in the case of the Primary Care Network, if it falls into these two categories, then the answer is yes.