Training for Healthcare Workers on Managing Difficult Situations

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Health in light of the launch of the framework for protection of healthcare workers from abuse and harassment, what is being done to provide healthcare workers with training on managing difficult situations.

The Tripartite Framework for Prevention of Abuse and Harassment in Healthcare recommends that healthcare institutions provide both formal and informal training for healthcare workers, to manage difficult situations and potential conflicts.

Some public healthcare institutions already equip their staff with such training, for example, effective communication skills and techniques to de-escalate tense situations, or self-defence techniques to protect themselves against physical abuse.

Healthcare institutions should also provide mental health support training for supervisors to better support staff who have been abused or harassed, for example, how to recognise signs of mental trauma so that affected staff can be referred for counselling or further support.

The Ministry of Health will work with healthcare institutions to make more of such training available to healthcare workers as they implement the framework.