Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Nurses in Singapore will receive additional payments in 2022 and 2023, in a move aimed at keeping nurses in the profession.

Health minister Ong Ye Kung said the additional payments could be structured "as a retention payment" for nurses.

Remuneration a key factor in attractiveness of nursing profession

Speaking at the Healthcare Scholarships Award Ceremony 2022, which was livestreamed on YouTube, Ong noted that remuneration was one of "two key determinants of the attractiveness of the nursing profession".

Ong pointed out that the second phase adjustment for nurses' compensation has just been completed this month (July 2022), after the Ministry of Health (MOH) conducted a review of nurses' and allied health professionals' salaries in 2021.

Ong mentioned a special 1-month bonus paid out to frontline workers in 2020, and a S$4,000 cash award in 2021.

He noted that the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and that a major burden of managing it falls on nurses.

"I think they are deserving of another payment, perhaps structured as a retention payment," said Ong.

MOH will be planning "an enhanced package" for 2022 and 2023, he added.

Details of the package will be announced on Nurses Day on Aug. 1, said Ong.

Work environment

The other factor influencing the attractiveness of the profession was the professional work environment, said Ong.

He outlined the support MOH will provide in this area, including deploying healthcare attendants, encouraging families to assist in patients' daily activities, streamlining administrative work, and improving IT systems.

"All this, bit by bit, will help," said Ong.

Top photo via Healthcare Scholarships on YouTube and TTSH on Facebook