Importance of Generalist Doctors' Roles

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health what is being done to elevate the status and standing of generalist doctors, enhance the health infrastructure to support generalist doctors and promote generalist medicine among young doctors beyond moral suasion.

Mr Speaker, generalist doctors play a central role in providing patient-centric and holistic care for an ageing population. The Ministry recognises and supports them in a few ways.

To elevate the status and standing of generalist doctors, we are giving them more recognition. In 2014, the Chapter of Family Medicine Physicians was formed under the Academy of Medicine Singapore. This recognises family physicians with fellowship as being on par with that of specialists.

MOH is encouraging doctors to take up training positions for family medicine as well as specialties with broader generalist competencies, such as geriatric medicine and advanced internal medicine. Through regular engagement sessions at various platforms, the Ministry is already creating awareness of our changing postgraduate needs to train the right mix of doctors and, at the same time, signalling the shift in priority by increasing the number of training positions for these disciplines. MOH has also been offering funding for in-service medical officers and general practitioners (GPs) to take up postgraduate Family Medicine training.

In addition, the Ministry is also providing support to help them improve their practice environment and deliver more effective care. This includes supporting private GP-run family medicine clinics, funding Community Health Centres to support GPs, and extending allied health support for our polyclinic doctors. We are now in the process of resourcing Primary Care Networks (PCNs), to enable our GPs to better manage patients with chronic diseases.

I would also like to acknowledge Dr Tan Wu Meng who had also raised similar concerns in a separate written Parliamentary Question on postgraduate medical training and how MOH has strengthened and empowered family physicians, internists and other doctors in playing a generalist coordinating physician role to meet Singapore's future healthcare needs. I am glad to share that a Generalist Competencies Standing Committee has been appointed and is currently reviewing the core set of generalist competencies every resident should have.