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ONE-STOP SERVICE
THROUGH SKILLS UPGRADING


Patients at the ward can look forward to one-stop service inside the ward for all admission, discharge, billing and administrative matters. With a new upgrading course which formalised the training for two jobs in one integrated programme, the Ward and Billing Patient Service Assistants are now equipped with each other skills.

     
Patient Service Assistant Catherine Veemaridas, providing one-stop service
to patients at the ward.

The first batch of 11 Patient Service Assistants graduated with a Certificate of Competency on 12 May 2000. They were presented with their certificates by Mr Heng Chiang Meng, Member of Parliament, Cheng San GRC, and Adviser to the Health Corporation of Singapore Staff Union (HCSSU).

The 280 hour training programme was developed by Changi General Hospital (CGH) to upgrade the Patient Service Assistant.

"Training provides immeasurable benefits for staff and our patients. Through Certificate courses like these and other on-the-job structured training programmes, we are glad to be able to help staff improve their skills and at the same time provide better service for the patients." Said Mr T K Udairam, CEO.

Staff who went for this retraining course are now more confident in helping patients with their billing and administrative matters.

     

Said one of the graduates, Mdm Shakila Bte Rabik, who had been working as a ward clerk for 3 years : "Before the course, I was not able to advice patients about their bills. I would have to send them to my colleagues at the Patient Service Centre in the lobby. I was only handling administrative work for the ward. Now that I am more knowledgeable, I am able to handle everything at the ward for them."

At this graduation ceremony, another 17 Health Care Assistants and 13 Patient Care Assistants also graduated from the Certificate of Health Care programme. This training programme which commenced in 1998 upgrades the skills of our Health Care Assistants and Patient Care Assistants by teaching them skills to assist nurses in rendering basic care to the patients. It is also nationally endorsed as a semi-skilled certification, equivalent to the NTC 3.

CGH plans to continue identifying areas to develop more Certificate courses together with national training bodies. The hospital had been awarded the Approved Training Centre (ATC) status from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to conduct these courses.

"Training provides immeasurable benefits for staff and our patients. Through Certificate courses like these and other on-the-job structured training programmes, we are glad to be able to help staff improve their skills and at the same time provide better service for the patients."

 

60 YEAR OLD GRANDMA GRADUATES

A proud Mdm Ho Mee Ying receiving her first skills certficate from Mr Heng Chiang Meng.

12 May 2000 - that was a special day for 60 year old Health Care Assistant (HCA) Mdm Ho Mee Ying as she received her first skills certificate.

A grandmother with 8 grandchildren, she had been a health attendant for nearly 40 years. She is glad to be able to upgrade herself, and graduate with a nationally certified NTC 3 Certificate in Healthcare.

She said happily in Mandarin : "With my poor proficiency in English, my family members were worried about whether I could cope with the course. However this is a good opportunity for me. I was determined to improve my skills. So whenever I do not understand, I will ask my teachers."

After ten weeks of hard work, she had successfully completed the skills upgrading course and earned her promotion to be a Health Care Assistant. Now she is able to assist nurses to provide basic nursing care to patients. This include taking temperature, measuring blood pressure and bathing bedridden patients.

"Now I am even more motivated in my job. I hope to continue working for a long time." she said with a laugh.

29 other Health Care Assistants and Patient Care Assistants graduated together with Mdm Ho at the same ceremony.