MOH releases salary guidelines for community care sector

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Feb 14) published salary guidelines for the community care sector, aimed at providing greater transparency about wages in the sector and helping organisations attract and retain talent.

The guidelines provide the recommended starting and mid-point monthly base salary for the job band and role, as well as the median annual total compensation. 

They will apply to the entire community care workforce, including nurses, pharmacists as well as administrative, ancillary and support care staff.

MOH said this is the first time it has published salary guidelines for sectors under its purview. The guidelines aim to help community care organisations offer competitive salaries and enhance fairness in pay structures and salaries.

"Organisations with compensation lower than the published salaries are strongly encouraged to adjust their pay packages to align more closely with the guidelines," said the ministry in a press release.

"On the other hand, organisations with compensation higher than the published salaries are encouraged to maintain their competitive position, and should not be reducing or 'freezing' their salary review cycles or annual increments to staff."

It also encouraged community care organisations to regularly review their salary levels for both local and foreign staff to "keep pace with the market, in order to retain and attract staff".

MOH said the guidelines can also help those looking to enter the sector at various points, such as fresh graduates and mid-career entrants, to understand the salary ranges of different roles. 

For example, a full-time enrolled nurse can expect to receive a starting monthly base salary of S$2,050 (US$1,520), which will increase to S$3,120 at the mid-point of their job band after gaining more experience.

Monthly base salaries exclude bonuses, allowances, and other benefits that may vary from organisation to organisation. The actual salaries of individual staff members may also vary based on their relevant experience and work performance.

The ministry said that the guidelines were developed after extensive consultation with the community care sector. The workforce in the sector has grown from 16,500 in 2020 to more than 18,000 last year.

"MOH will continue to monitor community care staff’s salary competitiveness against the market and review the guidelines as necessary," it added.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in April last year that improving and expanding the community care sector would be the next major priority for MOH as Singapore's population ages.

By 2030, nearly one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above.

MOH said it has rolled out various initiatives to attract and retain "quality healthcare manpower" in the sector. 

For example, MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) support community care organisations by working with recruitment partners such as Workforce Singapore and e2i to raise awareness of job opportunities and facilitate employment in the sector. 

Support for upskilling within the industry is also available through scholarships and training awards.