Healthcare Services Act (HCSA)

The Healthcare Services Bill, passed in Singapore Parliament in 2020, aims to enhance patient safety and well-being by replacing the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act (PHMCA) with a more flexible, service-based licensing framework.

HCSA Ambulance Regulatory Framework

As of January 3, 2022, all private ambulance services must be licensed under the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) and regulated as either Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS) or Medical Transport Service (MTS). Under this framework, Private Ambulance Operators (PAOs) are required to apply for an HCSA license to provide EAS or MTS services, which is renewable every two years. To obtain an HCSA license, EAS and MTS must meet general licensing requirements as well as ambulance-specific requirements. One of the key licensing requirements is the appointment of a Clinical Governance Officer (CGO) to provide clinical oversight and ensure that staff are appropriately qualified.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will conduct licensing inspections to ensure compliance with these requirements. PAOs operating without a valid HCSA license or using unlicensed vehicles will be in violation of HCSA regulations.

Here is a brief summary of the EAS and MTS Crew requirements:

EAS Crew (Recommended: 3 persons)

• 1 Paramedic, Ambulance Nurse, or Doctor (Crew Leader)

• The other crew member can be either a Paramedic, Nurse, or Doctor.

• EAS crews are responsible for providing emergency care and are equipped to manage urgent medical situations.

MTS Crew (2 persons)

• 1 EMT, Paramedic, Nurse, or Doctor (Crew Leader)

• The other crew member can be a Paramedic, Nurse, Doctor, or EMT.

• MTS crews are responsible for non-emergency medical transport services, ensuring the safe transfer of patients between locations.

CGO Requirements:

• MTS CGO:

  • Must be an SNB-registered nurse with 5+ years of experience in selected disciplines, or

  • SMC-registered practitioner, or

  • Clinical Director with 5+ years of experience.

• EAS CGO:

  • Must be an SMC-registered specialist, or

  • SMC-registered practitioner with 10+ years of experience in selected disciplines.

General Requirements for All Personnel:

• All personnel must hold valid certifications and complete any necessary recertification programmes, such as:

  • Medical Directors' Workshop

  • EMT Recertification Programme

  • Joint ITE-UPEC Certificate in Pre-hospital Emergency Care course

  • Basic/Advanced Cardiac Life Support, CPR & AED, first aid training

• By ensuring that all personnel meet these training and certification standards, PAOs will be better equipped to deliver safe, high-quality emergency and medical transport services, fully aligned with MOH regulations and the HCSA requirements.

Licence Conditions for EAS and MTS

MOH has established Licence Conditions (LCs) for EAS and MTS under the HCSA, outlining mandatory requirements for operation. Licensees must comply with the Healthcare Services (General), (Emergency Ambulance and Medical Transport Service), and (Advertisement) Regulations. For more detailed information, refer to the specific license conditions documents.

1. EAS LC pdf

2. MTS LC pdf

3. Healthcare Services Act 2020 pdf

4. For the legal definition of EAS and MTS, please refer to the First Schedule of the Act,

For further details on EAS, including crew and CGO requirements, click here.

For further details on MTS, including crew and CGO requirements, click here.