• A wellness framework comprising five areas of focus was established in July 2022, with spotlight on two key pillars: career and mental wellness. Under these pillars, a myriad of programmes has been introduced to protect healthcare workers and promote mental wellbeing.

• A Staff Wellness Council was formalised in August 2022, with Institution Wellness Officers appointed in each SingHealth institution. In addition, a Staff Protection Office has also been established across all SingHealth institutions.

• The SingHealth Staff Protection Office was established in 2024 with a three-pronged focus to safeguard staff from abuse and harassment, which was to ‘Protect, Prevent and Promote’. These efforts are enhancements to SingHealth’s journey to enhance Joy at Work through strategies to protect staff and enhance wellbeing

SINGAPORE, 10 October 2025 – SingHealth unveiled enhancements to its staff protection and wellness strategies and initiatives in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, at a special event today. This reinforces SingHealth, Singapore’s largest public healthcare cluster's commitment to fostering safer and more supportive working environments for its 38,000 staff through proactive and preventive strategies that nurture staff well-being physically, mentally and emotionally so that they find purpose and meaning at work.

Senior Minister of State, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Manpower, graced the event as Guest of Honour.

Fostering a safer working environment for staff

Building on the national Tripartite Framework for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment in Healthcare established in December 2023, SingHealth launched its Staff Protection Office (SPO) in June 2024. Through a systematic three-pronged approach - "Protect, Prevent, Promote" - the focus is to empower and equip staff with knowledge and skills through different initiatives that aim to mitigate abuse and harassment incidents.

SingHealth adopts a zero-tolerance stance against abuse and harassment of its staff. Awareness of what constitutes abuse and harassment, what should be done, and how staff are supported is critically important to help staff feel safe and not threatened by such behaviours. SingHealth has dedicated September as Staff Protection Month and held an inaugural

campaign this year across all SingHealth institutions, which elevated conversations surrounding staff safety from an operational concern to a strategic priority. This signals SingHealth’s commitment to normalising conversations about workplace protection and reflects its unwavering support to create a safe working environment. Equipping staff with the skills to handle challenging situations is a key strategy to prevent the escalation of incidents that may potentially result in abuse. SingHealth has developed and implemented a comprehensive De-escalating and Neutralising of Disruptive Behaviours (D.N.D.) training programme. Developed in-house, it aims to equip participants with skills to use violence risk assessment tools that help identify early warning signs and apply effective de-escalation tactics. To-date, about 85 trainers have been certified. These trainers will deliver the in-person D.N.D. course to frontline staff in SingHealth institutions.

SingHealth has set an ambitious three-year target to train 25 per cent of 2,800 staff who work in high-risk areas. To ensure broader accessibility to training, an online version of the course was launched in June 2025 on an e-learning platform. The goal is to have 50 per cent of frontline staff complete the online module by March 2026. Early results of the ongoing training are encouraging, with nearly all participants reporting they gained valuable new knowledge and would recommend their colleagues to attend.

Supporting holistic staff wellbeing

As part of efforts to nurture a culture of wellbeing and compassion as well as promote a holistic approach to employee wellness, SingHealth has expanded its wellness initiatives through the Staff Wellness Council, comprising Institution Wellness Officers who develop and implement comprehensive wellness programmes across the cluster. Associate Professor Phua Ghee Chee, Group Director, Staff Wellness, SingHealth, shared the cluster's comprehensive Mental Wellness Strategy at the event. This includes embracing technology, such as the introduction of a wellness app to provide 24/7 access to self-care programmes, flexible support options including access to virtual and in-person counselling sessions with clinical psychologists and counsellors, and a 24-hour crisis helpline.

"There is no health without mental health. In healthcare, one in three of us experiences stress, anxiety, or emotional distress [1]. Yet many still feel they have to push through in silence. This should not be the way," Prof Phua said. "By leveraging technology alongside support provided by our existing peer supporters, in-house counsellors, and mental health professionals, we are ensuring every staff member can find the right support he or she needs, anytime, anywhere."

Assoc Prof Phua emphasised that this approach represents more than just additional support. "This is about strengthening a culture where we embrace the fact that it's okay not to be okay, where we can pause, ask for help, and reset, because no one should walk this journey alone. Taking care of our mental and emotional health should be the top priority. Only by looking after ourselves can we provide the best care for our patients, our colleagues, and our loved ones."

SingHealth is also enhancing its physical spaces as part of efforts to boost staff wellbeing. During the event, an artist's impression of a new purpose-built staff lounge at the Academia was unveiled, featuring quiet reflection areas, comfortable dining and working spaces, and social connection zones. The renovations and other staff wellness initiatives have been made possible through a $3 million gift from the ACE Team Foundation in 2023 that supports SingHealth’s Joy at Work initiatives and healthcare administrators’ professional development.

The ACE Team Foundation is committed to creating starts, showing up, and sparking change in the community. The Foundation is guided by the belief that impact is multiplied when people come together, focusing its programmes and partnerships on education, healthcare and rehabilitation - areas where collective change and lasting action matters most.

Ms Chloe Tong, Co-founder, ACE Team Foundation, said, “Mental well-being is not a luxury; it’s a foundation for people to thrive at work and in life. Improving access to mental health support in the workplace is key to that goal. Through these initiatives, we are bringing together technology, thoughtful design and genuine care to stand by our healthcare workers in their hardest moments. We want them to feel seen, valued and empowered to grow - because when we care for the carers, our whole community thrives.”

Strengthening Healthcare Resilience

SingHealth’s wellness strategies are aligned with Singapore's efforts to promote mental health and wellbeing, which ultimately contributes to building a mentally resilient society.

Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Group Chief Executive Officer, SingHealth, emphasised the fundamental importance of these efforts, "We are committed to strengthening an organisational culture where psychological safety is paramount and seeking support is seen as a strength, not a weakness. When we support our staff’s mental health and wellbeing, we elevate the standard of care we deliver together as One SingHealth."

SingHealth's comprehensive and well-rounded approach to staff protection and wellbeing reflects the healthcare cluster's strong commitment to creating working environments where healthcare professionals can thrive both professionally and personally, while delivering high quality care.

[1] journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258866