Committee of Supply 2025 debate, Day 6: Janil Puthucheary on recognising family medicine as a specialty and registration of psychologists

Family physicians will play a growing role as the care needs of Singapore’s ageing population become more complex, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary. They are critical to the Healthier SG initiative, he said in parliament on Friday (Mar 7). But family medicine is not listed as a recognised medical specialty in Singapore, he said. The healthcare profession recognises the complexity of the work and the need for specialised training and experience, he added. Hence, the Specialists Accreditation Board has given approval to recognise family medicine as a specialty, on par with the other specialties. The government is working with the family medicine fraternity on the accreditation and training pathways to recognise family physicians with advanced training and relevant experience as specialists. Dr Janil said with their broad skillsets and long-term relationships with patients, family medicine specialists will enable more patients with complex care needs to receive comprehensive care in the community. Turning to psychologists, Dr Janil said the government has been working to register them to ensure high standards of professionalism and to better protect clients. He pointed out that the increased focus on mental health has led to more psychologists working beyond traditional clinical settings in the community and private sector. The government is working towards the registration of psychologists, focusing on those who provide direct patient care, perform higher-risk assessments and interventions and whose practices may span various sectors. Dr Janil said an inter-agency implementation committee has been set up to look into raising professional standards, safeguard patient safety and increase public confidence in psychological services.