In 2007, the Paediatric Psychosocial Trauma Support Service (PTSS) was set up in KK Women's and Children's Hospital.  Since joining the team in 2009, Ms Lim Xin Yi has worked tirelessly to improve the PTSS outreach to ensure that more people are aware of the impact of traumatic experiences and where they can seek help.

"My vision for child trauma work in Singapore is for the needs of trauma victims to be met – both in the hospital and in the community setting," Ms Lim explains.  "To close this gap, a network of trained professionals must be available to the children and families who are vulnerable."

In hopes of making this vision a reality, a partnership with Temasek Cares with PTSS was established to train counsellors in Family Service Centres and Schools around Singapore.  The PTSS team also held numerous talks to reach out to more than 21,000 people. In 2015, the PTSS team was quick to provide support to some survivors of the Sabah earthquake.

These efforts help build the community's competence in supporting children who suffer from trauma-related difficulties.  They also reduce the likelihood of children developing severe psychological issues such as depression, and a decreased quality of life. Together with her team, Ms Lim's work embodies the three core values espoused by SingHealth – compassion, collaboration, and integrity.

"There is so much I wish to achieve for the children I work with.  But ultimately, my desire is for children with post-trauma difficulties to move a step closer towards rebuilding their lives and developing their inner potential and resiliency."

Ms Lim Xin Yi
Deputy Head/Psychologist, Psychotrauma Support Service  (PTSS)
KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Ms Lim is the winner of the Outstanding Allied Health Professional Award at the 2016 SingHealth Excellence Awards.

Tags: Psychologist, Allied Health