New guide aims to curb abuse, harassment of community care workers

A new guide to protect community care workers from abuse and harassment will be circulated in June to all community care organisations, which include nursing homes and hospices.

- Shermaine Ang

Announcing the development of the guide at the Community Care Work Plan Seminar on May 28, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said all community care organisations are encouraged to implement the recommendations.

It is adapted from the standardised framework launched in December 2023 to curb abuse of healthcare workers in public healthcare institutions such as hospitals and polyclinics.

The framework includes a common definition of abuse and harassment, standardised protocols for response, and measures that can be taken against abusers.

The public healthcare clusters have since updated their protocols across their hospitals and institutions to protect their healthcare workers against abuse and harassment, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on May 28.

MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) partnered community care sector leaders over the past year to contextualise the guide for various care settings, such as nursing homes, active ageing centres, hospices, and home care services.

The guide has been adapted to address challenges community care workers face, including safety protocols for home-based care settings where staff work in clients' residences.