Singapore, 5 October 2015 – Over 40 healthcare leaders and public officials from more than 10 Asian countries are gathered in Singapore this week to attend a healthcare governance and leadership executive programme. The Temasek Foundation Healthcare Executives in Asia Leadership Programme (TF HEAL) will serve as an important platform and opportunity to share best practices and build networks of cooperation in the region.

The inaugural TF HEAL programme was established with a grant of S$589,000 from Temasek Foundation. Singapore’s two largest healthcare clusters, SingHealth and National Healthcare Group (NHG), developed the curriculum and will facilitate a 5-day workshop which gives healthcare management insights and strategies. Two runs of the programme will be held, during which an estimated 100 participants will undergo the workshops.

The first workshop will be held from 5 October to 9 October. A wide range of topical healthcare issues will be covered including governance, leadership, quality, process improvement and management with a particular focus on policy implementation strategies. Senior administrators and clinicians from both healthcare clusters will share their expertise in areas such as regional health systems, service integration, manpower and training, and the transformation of primary healthcare delivery.

Participants will also visit key healthcare facilities at SingHealth and NHG to gain in-depth understanding and experience examples of these concepts at work. On the last day of the programme, there will be a panel discussion during which panellists including Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Permanent Secretary for Health, Ministry of Health, will discuss healthcare challenges and future opportunities.

Professor Ivy Ng, Group Chief Executive Officer, SingHealth, said: “SingHealth is privileged to co-organise this programme and share healthcare management strategies with our colleagues from the region. This programme provides a platform for us to share our experience in areas such as innovative models of care and training for a sustainable healthcare manpower pipeline, which are key areas SingHealth has been focusing on to address evolving healthcare needs. Through knowledge sharing, we benefit by understanding the issues that other countries face and learning best practices. More importantly, such partnerships help to strengthen ties with our neighbours in the region.”

“The higher prevalence of co-morbidities in chronic diseases, in ageing populations here and across the region, necessitates a shift in public healthcare from episodic to integrated care as a more effective and sustainable long-term strategy. We look forward to knowledge sharing with our regional partners, so that together we can provide better care for our respective communities,” said Professor Philip Choo, Group CEO, NHG.

“By bringing senior public officials together to discuss health care leadership, governance and management challenges, the Temasek Foundation Healthcare Executives in Asia Leadership Programme provides a platform in building stronger networks of cooperation among public health care institutions in Asia. Through the sharing of experiences and knowledge, we hope that this programme will enhance the capabilities of health care professionals in Asia in shaping the future of health care,” said Mr Benedict Cheong, Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation.

It is hoped that the participants will share their learning with other healthcare officials in their respective home countries to build institutional sustainability and capabilities. SingHealth and NHG will also continue to engage with the participants post-workshop to follow-up and explore potential collaboration opportunities.

One of the participants of the programme, Additional Chief Secretary Health from West Bengal India, Mr Malay Kumar De, said, “I look forward to learning about how the Singapore healthcare system works and also having the opportunity to interact with participants from other countries. My Health Ministry is currently also collaborating with SingHealth on a training programme, supported by Temasek Foundation, where doctors and nurses from SingHealth impart critical care skills to healthcare staff in West Bengal India. I believe this programme will create opportunities for collaborations in other areas.”

The next run of the programme will take place in March 2016 next year.