Outsourcing of therapists a win-win

Before 2013, therapists from AWWA, formerly known as the Asian Women’s Welfare Association, were operating in silos across different services. But by pulling them together under the Allied Health Professionals Group, it has improved the quality of recruitment and training.

And after it was approached by the authorities in 2014 to support nursing homes and other care providers, AWWA has become the third operator of “therapy hubs”, which extend help to other organisations amid a rising demand for therapy services.

The other two are SPD (formerly known as the Society for the Physically Disabled) and THK Therapy Services. At AWWA, there are now 30 occupational therapists, 16 physiotherapists, 18 speech therapists and two music therapists.

Home Nursing Foundation is one of 11 service providers it has outsourced therapists to, said AWWA Education and Development director J R Karthikeyan.

Others include Apex Harmony Lodge, Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled, Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home and St Andrew’s Autism Centre.

Its therapy hub is a way for AWWA to give to smaller voluntary-welfare organisations (VWOs), said Mr Karthikeyan, while secondment has exposed its therapists to more settings, allowing some to specialise in areas such as hydrotherapy and intervention for babies.

“Students previously went to restructured hospitals or the private sector, not really VWOs, which were seen as second-class. Now, I’ve got senior therapists who come from restructured hospitals. Word has gone out and more are coming,” he said. Most therapists AWWA hires now are Singaporeans studying overseas or in local universities; 40 of its 66 therapists are locals.

Secondment has also allowed AWWA to equip itself for expansion: More early-intervention centres and a new adult-disability home are in the pipeline, for instance. “So I can’t say we’re only giving ... This model is benefitting us both ways,” said Mr Karthikeyan. NEO CHAI CHIN