The wellbeing of healthcare workers has become increasingly important in recent years especially expediated by the pandemic.  In SingHealth and NHCS, many initiatives and activities were introduced to bring greater joy and meaning to the workplace. 

The NHCS Healthy Lifestyle Committee (HLC), a staff-initiated group, comprises representatives from various departments has been organising health and wellness activities for fellow colleagues for more than a decade. The HLC regularly organises health talks, sporting activities and health screenings to inspire all to adopt a healthier lifestyle. CardioConnect speaks to the members of the HLC to find out more about what motivates them to contribute to the committee, their aspirations, and even some healthy lifestyle tips!

  

Teo Siew Chong, Deputy Director, Pharmacy, who was the chairperson of the HLC from 2017 to April 2023, has dedicated many years to organising fitness events for NHCS. To Siew Chong, happiness is the key to a healthy work environment and healthy lifestyle. He describes his proudest moment as being able to work, learn, and laugh alongside dedicated members from various departments. 

Siew Chong encourages fitness through engaging staff in enjoyable physical activities such as badminton and cycling. While no longer leading the committee, Siew Chong continues to serve as a committed member of the HLC. He leaves a tip for his successors, “Enjoy what you do, immerse yourselves in the activities, and appreciate the efforts of each and every member.”

  

Serene Tan, Senior Associate Executive, COO’s Office is another long-serving member of the HLC. Being the secretary of the HLC for the last 12 years, Serene has been involved in running wellness activities such as qigong experience workshops and yogalates courses which were a hit with staff. Although organising such events takes her beyond her current work scope, Serene enjoys every bit of it as she understands the benefits the activities could bring to her colleagues.

These experiences have shaped her definition of wellness too. Serene shared, “To me, a holistic approach to cultivating a positive body and mind is through mindfulness in exercise and diet”. For example, she opts for a diet of overnight oats with dried fruits and nuts, along with practicing qigong daily when time permits. Ultimately, other than finding joy in her wellness journey, Serene takes pride in seeing the happy faces of her fellow colleagues while engaging in the activities put together through the HLC’s efforts.

   

Oh Seow Fong, Senior Manager, Office of Training & Education, who took over the baton from Siew Chong as the chairperson shares, “Active participation in sports activities with like-minded individuals allows one to stay positive and happy. Hence, the Committee brainstormed innovative activities to create opportunities for everyone to come together to have fun.” With the introduction of novel fitness activities such as the recent mini sports fair, futsal tournament and upcoming events including yogalates and sports appreciation classes, the Committee hopes to encourage more staff participation and interdepartmental bonding, and ultimately to urge staff to work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Chairperson: Oh Seow Fong, Senior Manager, Office of Training & Education

Secretary: Serene Tan Poh Khim, Senior Associate Executive, COO’s Office

Teo Siew Chong, Deputy Director, Pharmacy

Dr Jeffrey Lau, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology

Emelynn Chow Yuet Yuan, Executive, Human Resource

Zeng Wenying, Nurse Educator, Nursing Development Unit

Tee Hui Shan, Executive, Finance

Joey Tan Wei Shan, Executive, Corporate Development

Muhammad Zulfathi Bin Mohamed Amir, Senior Executive, Operations (Support Services)

Noor Hudayah Binte Mohamed Ariff, Senior Multimedia Specialist, Corporate Development

Belinda Lim, Assistant Manager, Corporate Development

Tan Li Jun, Senior Executive, Human Resource

Soon Yiqing, Executive, Finance