Pay Increments for Healthcare Support Staff

Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the pay increments for healthcare support staff in the intermediate and long-term care sector funded by the Government are sustainable; and (b) whether assurance can be given that the resultant increased expenditure of the pay increments will not be passed on, directly or indirectly, to patients requiring intermediate and long-term care.

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The cost of the pay increase will be funded fully by the Government in FY2012 and FY2013. Thereafter, it will be taken into account as part of the operating cost and the Government will provide funding to the service providers according to the normal subsidy framework.

At the same time, we are working with the ILTC sector to raise productivity so that wage increases can be sustained over time. The Government has set aside $110 million from 2012 to 2016 on improving the productivity of the ILTC sector.

The Government will continue to monitor the cost of ILTC services to ensure that they remain affordable and accessible to Singaporeans.

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