Debated in Parliament on 3 Jul 2017.
Ms K Thanaletchimi asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there have been any studies conducted or commissioned to study the stress levels of healthcare workers, especially nurses, allied health professionals and doctors; (b) if so, whether the Ministry is able to share those findings and plans to work with the public healthcare institutions to mitigate the stress effects; and (c) if no study has been conducted, whether the Ministry will consider commissioning such a study as part of workplace safety and health and work-life balance considerations.
Our public healthcare clusters conduct surveys to gather feedback from their employees on workplace stress. Common sources of stress in the hospitals include the fast pace of work, unreasonable demands from patients and their caregivers, and personal issues, such as health or financial problems. While the findings vary across clusters, the findings are shared with relevant staff and are used to develop programmes to support employees in managing workplace stress and maintaining mental well-being.
Employee support programmes that have been implemented range from lunchtime talks and workshops on mental health and stress and emotional management, to staff counselling programmes to help them overcome work stress and personal problems. Some employers also have dedicated hotlines for their employees to seek professional help.
The public healthcare clusters will continue to work closely with the Healthcare Services Employees' Union to improve employee health and well-being at the workplace.
PAPERCUTS