ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2015

51ST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

21st May 2015

Singapore General Hospital Academia

Level 2, L2-S3

SINGAPORE PHYSIOTHERAPY

ASSOCIATION

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Table of Contents

MINUTES OF 50TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ................................................................................ 4

VISION, MISSION STATEMENT ............................................................................................................ 10

COUNCIL, HONONARY ADVISORS, STUDENT MEMBERS AND ADMIN. SUPPORT STAFF .............. 11

PRESIDENT’S REPORT .......................................................................................................................... 12

HONORARY AUDITORS’ REPORT ....................................................................................................... 14

HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT .................................................................................................... 15

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS .................................................................................................................... 16

SINGAPORE-INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY CONGRESS 2014 REPORT ................................... 22

ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE REPORT ............................................................................................. 25

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT .............................................................................. 26

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT.................................................................................................... 28

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT ................................................................. 29

STUDENT COUNCIL 2014 COMMITTEE REPORT ................................................................................ 33

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MINUTES OF 50TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Minutes of 50th Annual General Meeting of the Singapore Physiotherapy Association

held on 3rd May 2014 at Raffles City Convention Centre, Level 4, VIP Lounge B, Singapore

Present:

Aprata Belekar, Arul Sundararaj Virgin D Vino, Babu Koshy Repsy, Cai Yunde, Choo Ying Ying, Choong

Li Sann, Chua Pei Shan, Er Beng Siong, Ghani Nazish, Hemanalini Vaidyanathan Selvamuthu, Herath

Mudiyanselage Indika Sukitha K, Hinch Aideen, Huang Shilin Katherine, Jalalakshmi Kaliaperumal,

Kapoor Sanjeev, Kumar Angidisamy Vijay, Kung Beng Keng, Kuwan Gigi Foon Pang, Lee Foong Hun,

Lee Sin Yi, Leong Wei-Yi Pauline, Lim Ei Ping Audrey, Lim Beng Hean, Lim Cheng Kuan, Lim Feng Yu

Vivian, , Lim Hsin Wei Wendy, Lim Kong Beng, Lim Sheng Joseph, Png Caroline, Cumming Melissa, Choi

Jason, Lim Hsin Chih, Ma Kyu Kyu, Maung Baby Than, Ng Chong Ching, Ng Lih Yen, Palanichamy

Rathinapriya, Palanichamy Vimal, Prithvi Balaji, Ramalingam Vinoth Jothi, Sacro Kissnette, Satorre

Lucille, Sia Sing, Sim Pheng Hoe Calvin, Soh Leng Hsien Shawn, Steiner Philippe, Tan Bee Yee, Tan Ia

Choo Celia, Tan May Leng Dawn, Tan Kim Guan Derek, Thirupathiswamy Sathiyabama, Toh Irene, Toh

Mei Kwan, Tong Meng Yim Michelle, Verma Dinesh, Verma Monika, Yan Chee Kin Clement, Yan Yong,

Yeo Kai Ni Candice, Yong Limin, Zeng Qizhi, Aye Myat Su, Yeo Hwee Koon, Mohamed Sirasuddin. (64)

Proxies:

Ngo Xueting, Mark Chan, Haris Mohamed, Teo Swee San Agnes, Ng Keat Hwee, Lee Yoke Fun, Chay

Ya Tzu, Cheah Heng Yee, Liaw Suet Ching, Ong Hwee Kuan, Soh Tzer Shiang, Yap Yan Mei (12)

The meeting was called to order at 5:30pm and the Honorary Secretary, Mr Low Hsien Chih welcomed

and introduced the Council members.

1 Roll Call

Mr Low confirmed that there were total of 64 members present out of a total of 474 registered

members with 12 proxies received for voting purpose, meeting the quorum of 40 members for

the meeting.

2 Adoption of the Minutes of 49th Annual General Meeting

There was no amendment to the minutes of the 49th Annual General Meeting held on 29th May

2013. Hence, the minutes was adopted on the proposal by Mr Philippe Steiner and seconded

by Ms Vivian Lim.

3 Hon. Treasurer’s Report

The Financial Report for the financial term 2013–2014 was presented to members by the

Honorary Treasurer, Ms Yong Limin.

There were no Approval of the accounts was proposed Mr Vimal Palanichamy and seconded

by Ms Tan Bee Yee.

4 President’s Report

Mr Dinesh Verma gave an over view of the activities that the Council undertook during the

financial year which include:

a. Organising the Singapore-International Physiotherapy Congress (SIPC) 2014

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The Council has decided to re-name the bi-annual Singapore Physiotherapy Congress in

order to create a Regional platform for professionals to meet, share and learn. Responses

from the regional have been good for SIPC 2014.

b. SPA 50 Years Anniversary Celebration

The Council has also worked hard to put together a commemorative coffee table book,

an exhibition of our association’s rich history and also a Gala Dinner to acknowledge the

Pioneers of the Singapore Physiotherapy Association.

c. World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) Conference 2015 Singapore

The coordinating and planning momentum have increased for WCPT Conference 2015 as

the team worked towards hosting one of the largest gatherings of Physiotherapy

professionals with over 4000 international delegates across the world. In the coming

months, the work is anticipated to accelerate as the event draws closer.

Mr Verma encouraged all members to be a proud host for the event and spread the word

among their Professional networks and make the event a memorable one not only for our

local professional body but also an unforgettable experience for our overseas guests.

d. Allied Health Professions (AHP)

With the implementation of Allied Health Professions (AHP) Act, Mr Verma said the

Association looked forward in leading the profession to a higher level of quality care and

service, having to demonstrate greater involvements in holistic patient care.

e. Challenges

Mr Verma also highlighted some of the challenges faced:

• Decline in Membership

A marginal decline (-3 %) in total membership count from 485 reported in the last

financial year. He stressed that it is vital for all of us to stay united in ONE Voice as a

profession and fuel our drive to advocate for the profession. With the implementation

of the AHP Act, the necessity for being a member is not essential. However, he

appealed to all to stand together and in greater numbers and strength to tackle the

several issues and initiatives the profession will face.

The SPA council is also working towards adding more perceived value to membership

and hope that all will continue to do your part and make SPA a great platform for

professional exchange.

f. Appreciation

Mr Verma concluded with his appreciate the several stakeholders who contributed to the

smooth running of Association’s activities during his Council office term.

5. Appreciation for Outgoing Council

Certificates of Appreciation and gifts were handed out by the outgoing President, Mr Dinesh

Verma, to his Council members

6. Election of New Council Members and Appointments:

6.1. Election for President

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Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo was proposed by Ms Tan Bee Yee and seconded by Ms Pauline

Leong. There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Ms Yong Limin and

seconded by Mr Yan Yong (Michael).

Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo was elected as the President for the Association unopposed.

6.2. Election for Vice President

Ms Vivian Lim Feng Yu was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by Ms

Katherin Huang Shilin. There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Mrs

Lee Foong Hun and seconded by Ms Tan Bee Yee.

Ms Vivian Lim was elected as the Vice President for the Association unopposed.

6.3. Election for Honorary Secretary

Dr Clement Yan Chee Kin was proposed by Ms Pauline Leong Wei-Yi and seconded by Ms

Yong Limin. There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Ms Chua Pei

Shan and seconded by Mr Jason Choi Yik Ming.

Dr Clement Yan Chee Kin was elected as the Honorary Secretary for the Association

unopposed.

6.4. Election for Honorary Treasurer

Ms Lee Sin Yi was proposed by Mr Michael Yan Yong and seconded by Mr Sanjeev Kapoor.

Ms Tan Bee Yee was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by Ms Yong Limin.

There were no other nominations, and it was proposed closed by Mr Yan Yong (Michael)

and seconded by Mr Calvin Sim Pheng Hoe.

The members voted. Ms Lee Sin Yi received 14 votes and Ms Tan Bee Yee with 46 votes.

Ms Tan Bee Yee was elected as the Honorary Treasurer for the Association.

6.5. Election for 8 Council Members

i. Ms Lee Sin Yi was proposed by Dr Celia Tan and seconded by Mr Calvin Sim

Pheng Hoe

ii. Ms Gigi Kuwan Foon Pang was proposed by Mr Ng Chong Ching and seconded

by Ms Lee Sin Yi

iii. Mr Calvin Sim Pheng Hoe was proposed by Mr Ng Chong Ching and seconded by

Mr Samuel Kan Mun Chong

iv. Ms Yong Limin was proposed by Ms Kissnette Sacro and seconded by Dr Clement

Yan Chee Kin

v. Ms Katherin Huang Shilin was proposed by Dr Clement Yan Chee Kin and

seconded by Ms Irene Toh

vi. Mr Yan Yong (Michael) was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by

Mr Ng Chong Ching

vii. Mr Shawn Soh Leng Hsien was proposed by Mr Dinesh Verma and seconded by Mr

Calvin Sim Pheng Hoe

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viii. Ms Prithvi Balaji was proposed by Mrs Lee Foong Hun and seconded by Mr Shawn

Soh Leng Hsien

There were no other nominations and it was proposed closed by Mr Vijay Angidisamy

Kumar and seconded by Ms Roselyn Choo Ying Ying.

Ms Lee Sin Yi, Ms Gigi Kuwan Foon Pang, Mr Calvin Sim Pheng Hoe, Ms Yong Limin, Ms

Katherin Huang, Mr Yan Yong (Michael), Mr Shawn Soh Leng Hsien and Ms Prithvi Balaji

were elected as Council members.

6.6. Appointment of Honorary Advisor for the Association

Dr Ann Choo was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by Ms Lee Foong Hun

(Mrs Sum). There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Mr Philippe

Steiner and seconded by Mr Jason Choi Yik Ming.

Dr Ann Choo was appointed the Honorary Advisor for the Association.

6.7. Appointment of Honorary Medical Advisor

Clin. A/Prof. Chan Yew Weng was proposed by Ms Vivian Lim and seconded by Mr Philippe

Steiner. There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Ms Lee Sin Yi and

seconded by Mr Vimal Palanichamy.

Clinical A/Prof Chan Yew Weng was appointed the Honorary Medical Advisor for the

Association.

6.8. Appointment of Honorary Legal Advisor

David Lim & Partner was proposed by Mr Philippe Steiner and seconded by Dr Celia Tan Ia

Choo. There was no other nomination and it was proposed closed by Mr Yan Yong

(Michael) and seconded by Ms Tan Bee Yee.

David Lim & Partner was appointed the Honorary Legal Advisor for the Association.

6.9. Appointment of Honorary Auditors

Mr Allen Pathmarajah was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by Ms Lee

Foong Hun (Mrs Sum).

Member, Mr Philippe Steiner was proposed by Dr Celia Tan Ia Choo and seconded by Mr

Jason Choi Yik Ming.

There were no other nominations and nomination was proposed closed by Ms Lee Sin Yi

and seconded by Mr Jason Choi Yik Ming.

Mr Allen Pathmarajah and Mr Philippe Steiner were appointed the Honorary Auditors for

the Association.

There were no other elections and appointments and was proposed closed by Ms Vivian

Lim and seconded by Mr Dinesh Verma

7. Any Other Business:

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7.1. Advertising Guidelines

Mr Er Beng Siong presented and re-capped the Advertising Guidelines to the members as

requests from members and public to advertise with SPA have increased. (see Advertising

Guidelines attached).

With guidelines highlighted, Mr Er explained that it was very time consuming for Council to

explain its position to advertiser and reserves the right not to give reasons to adverts that

were not approved.

7.2. Matters Arising:

Member’s Concern 1:

Member, Mr Ng Chong Ching, brought up his concerns of his recent advert on courses

containing osteopathic and visceral techniques which the Council rejected for posting. He

pointed out that previously council had posted advert for Dr Vodder’s lympathic massage

which is an osteopathic approach. He put up his argument on basis of biased in Council’s

decision as visceral techniques are deemed gentler than osteopathic lympathic

technique. He also pointed out the advert on pilates - a non-conventional physio course

which Council had recently allowed to put up.

Mr Philippe Steiner – reminded not to limit technique that can enhance what they do to

help patients but to know the limit and use only what is applicable and safe.

Mr Er Beng Siong explained Council’s primary concern was protecting its members and

public safety. Council is aware of the rigorous training it takes for one to become an

osteopath and main concern was with those without formal training in osteopathy to be

practising osteopathic techniques that they have picked up over a weekend course that

would run the risk of causing more harm than good, therefore the reason behind Council’s

decision not to approve the advert to go out.

Dr Celia Tan highlighted and clarified that SPA does not endorsed courses that are put up

for advertisement. The advertising disclaimer clause which has been drawn up by SPA

legal advisors clearly stated that SPA is not responsible for any content that was put up as

advertisement. In the case of courses advertised, the trainee can sue the trainer and not

SPA. Therefore, it is advisable the trainer has protection against his own professional

liability. She also emphasised that the Association has the right to decide if they want to

put up an advert or not. Celia also highlighted that SPA is not in MOH disciplinary council.

Member’s Concern 2:

Ms Gigi Kuwan brought up her concerns on dry needling. She said that while dry needling

is recognised in other countries, physiotherapists practicing in Singapore have difficulty

using this method as a treatment option because of the Tradition Chinese Medicine

Practice's (TCMP) Act (chapter 333A).

Mr Low Hsien Chih responded that during his term in Council, he had explored this

possibility with MOH but the resounding answer from them was ‘No”. Governed by the

TCM Act, the next course of action was to lobby through MOH. Looking at AHP Act which

took 13 years to go through, that will take a long time. More people are needed to gather

to advocate and amend the act.

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Ms Gigi Kuwan wanted to know if it will be possible to move on as profession’s own instead

of parking under TCM Act.

Mr Shawn Soh queried should one be a specialist before they can practice such method?

He reminded the influence from SPA is derived from each individual responsibility. The

same people in SPA are also in AHPC. As a profession, we want to push as a group to have

a better influence on decision for the profession. He recommended that physiotherapists

not to practise that method of treatments because it is a criminal offence to do so without

the proper licence. He urged all to judge for themselves – what is best for their clients and

what is legal with current practices.

Mr Low Hsien Chih urged to lobby this course of action through Special Interest Groups.

Member’s Concern 3:

Mr Samuel Kan raised his concern on the awareness of physiotherapists’ scope of practice.

He said with the registration in place, physiotherapists are regulated in standards and

scope of practice, competence, conduct and ethics. However, non-allied health

professionals are currently not registered and hence not regulated in any way.

o How would the public interest be safeguarded

o While AHPC ensure physiotherapists practise within their scope of practice, how can

they assured that others are not practising within their scope of practice

Mr Low Hsien Chih said AHPC first phrase of action was to regulate physiotherapists. The 2nd

phrase is to policing non-allied health professions practises including the name, title,

complementary practices, usage of certain words and they can be charged.

Mr Calvin Sim urged the profession to be united, stand up and speak as one voice. He

urged all to be responsible to protect the profession and not wait for SPA Council to take

action. If the profession is united, we will not be pushed around.

With no other business, the Annual General Meeting was proposed closed by Ms Sharon Lim

and seconded by Mr Low Hsien Chih.

Mr Low Hsien Chih gave thanks to those who were present and meeting ended at 7.00pm.

Minutes recorded by: Ms Maureen Loh, Finance Manager

Approved by:

--------------------------- ---------------------------

Mr Dinesh Verma Mr Low Hsien Chih

President Honorary Secretary

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VISION, MISSION STATEMENT

Vision

To be united as one voice and to advocate for high standards of physiotherapy in Singapore

Mission Statement

To represent the physiotherapy profession in Singapore by:

Encouraging high standards of physiotherapy practice, education and research

Promoting safe, effective and proven clinical standards and practice

Supporting and uniting physiotherapist in Singapore and beyond

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COUNCIL, HONONARY ADVISORS, STUDENT MEMBERS AND ADMIN. SUPPORT

STAFF

Council Members (2014 – 2016)

President A/Prof Celia Tan Ia Choo

Vice President Ms Vivian Lim Feng Yu

Honorary Secretary Dr Clement Yan Chee Kin

Honorary Treasurer Ms Tan Bee Yee

Accreditation Chairperson Ms Gigi Kuwan Fong Pang

Membership Chairpersons Mr Calvin Sim Phen Hoe and Ms Yong Limin

Research & Education Chairpersons Ms Katherin Huang Shilin and Ms Lee Sin Yi

Corporate Communications Chairpersons Mr Shawn Soh Leng Hsien, Mr Michael Yan Yong

and Ms Prithvi Balaji

Honorary Advisor Dr Ann Choo

Honorary Medical Advisor A/Prof Chan Yew Weng

Honorary Legal Advisor Mr David Lim and Partners

Honorary Auditor Mr Allen Pathmarajah and Mr Philip Steiner

WCPT-AWP SPA Representative Ms Vivian Lim Feng Yu

Advisor to School PT, NYP Dr Clement Yan Chee Kin

Student Council 2015

President: Mr Lin Yuda Aiden

Vice President Ms Lim Wan Ni

Secretary Mr Lim You Sheng

Treasurer Ms Lecindra Lim

Welfare Ms Batul Shakir and Ms Ho Chin Hui

Public Relations (Head) Ms Peh Jia En Joylynn

Administrative Support Staff

Finance Manager Ms Maureen Loh

Administrative Assistant Ms Helen Tjow (left in Jan 2015)

Mr Jonathan Chia

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

One year has passed since the new committee took over the Association leadership at our last AGM

cum 50th Anniversary celebration last year. From the outset, our key focus areas were clear.

1. Prepare for the coming WCPT congress in May 2015

2. Engage the Physiotherapy profession and students on professional and Association issues

Preparations for the coming WCPT congress May 2015

As I write this report, the congress is just less than 10 days away. Have we met our targets?

Though it is still early to say, nonetheless, the WCPT organising secretariat are comfortable that we will

break even with the 3,600 registrations so far. Of these, about 390 are from Singapore, which is about

the number (400) that we promised in our bid in 2011. With this initial result, I would like to register my

heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the members of the local organising committee or LOC, led by the

Chair Mr Dinesh Verma, as well as the Heads of PT Depts, members of the SPA council and our

secretariat, led by Ms Maureen Loh, for their support, many hours of meetings and hard work. Without

them, there would not be a WCPT congress in Singapore, and I am indebted.

It has not been easy to manage everyone’s expectations in terms of invitations, roles and

responsibilities, so I hope that members would understand that any untoward situations or gaps in

communication were unintentional oversights. That said I look forward to an exciting congress in the

first week of May and still awed by this opportunity for all of us to be a part of this history-making event

for our profession.

Engage the Physiotherapy profession and students on professional issues

Engagement with the Physiotherapy profession was also on top of our lists of concerns. The council

wanted to ensure that the Association remained relevant to the professionals and the students alike.

We decided to focus our attention on meeting with Physiotherapists from the various hospitals, private

practices, community institutions and student populations as well. We also conducted a survey with

the students to gather their feedback on various professional issues, in particular what they felt about

the purpose of the Association.

Generally many Physiotherapists felt that they do not know what the Association is doing. Despite the

many e-updates on the website and roadshows, there seems to be a gap in communication and

information. Engaging the Physiotherapists and Physiotherapists-to-be especially the non-members, is

going to be the key focus for the Association going forwards. This is because the Association represents

the profession, therefore it needs to have the mandate of the professional body.

To date, we have reached our highest membership of 660 in the history of the SPA. The highest

membership number, but not the highest membership rate of 48% (660/1349, according to AHPC

report 2015). I am sure there are also many PTs who did not register either, because they have retired

or are not currently practising professionally. Notwithstanding the high membership numbers, we will still

need to focus on engaging members of our profession, so that more can be done to ensure that we

rise to the next level as a healthcare professional.

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What’s next after Registration/SIT/WCPT?

What is that next level of professionalism as a healthcare clinician? For a start, at the AGM in May, we

will have a forum discussion to dialogue various professional issues. Is there a need/role for the

Association after MOH’s AHPC registration? after upgrading to the Bachelors PT programme at SIT ?

After hosting the prestigious WCPT conference? What comes next? Are there other professional

challenges that will continue to unite us professionally? What about clinical challenges?

We are in an era of medical and technological advances, challenged by an increasing ageing

population globally. Are Physiotherapists leveraging on and reaching the forefront of these

technological advances to improve their practice and patient care? Can we as a profession, work

together to do more for patient care by advancing our skills and knowledge as specialists and

researchers? In this age of interprofessional collaborations, can we afford to work in silos, if we are to

reach the next step of higher professional care? What does it take to work with other healthcare

professionals?

All these and more will be discussed at the coming AGM, and provide the bricks for the Association to

build on, for your growth and professional development!

Celia Tan

President (2014-2016)

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HONORARY AUDITORS’ REPORT

To: The Members of the Singapore Physiotherapy Association

(Registered in Singapore under the Societies Act)

We have audited the financial accounts of the Singapore Physiotherapy Association for the year

ended 31 March 2015.

In our opinion, the said financial accounts present a true and fair view of the state of affairs of

Singapore Physiotherapy Association as at the stipulated date.

Allen Pathmarajah Philippe Steiner

Honorary Auditor Honorary Auditor

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HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT

Financial Report

This report covers the Singapore Physiotherapy Association financial period from 1 April 2014 to 31

March 2015.

As at 31 March 2015, the Association posted a deficit of $67,250 before tax, although it still maintains a

healthy cash and bank balance of $195,519 which includes a fixed deposit of $ 51,612.

The deficit is attributed to 2 main factors:

Expenditure on the 50th Anniversary Dinner and Singapore International Physiotherapy

Congress in May 2014.

Decrease in income of 84% from Members’ Admission fees as we stopped conducting the

membership entrance test with the implementation of the Allied Health Professions Act in April

2014.

However revenue recorded a 14% increase from Members’ Annual fees as more applied for or

renewed membership for the WCPT Congress in May 2015.

As the Association works into the future, we will regularly monitor the budgetary process and exercise

tight financial controls to maintain overall financial stability. The Association will continue to look for

avenues of growth and opportunities to return more value to its members.

Tan Bee Yee

Honorary Treasurer (2014-2015)

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

for financial year ended 31 March 2015

2015 2014

S$ S$

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

(Deficit)/Surplus before taxation (67,250) 1,859

Adjustment for:

Depreciation of Office Equipment & others 903 848

Operating Cash flow before Working Capital Changes (66,347) 2,706

(Increase)/Decrease in Inventory & Prepayments 119,557 (120,545)

Increase/ (Decrease) in membership fees received in advance 17,599 6,105

Increase/(Decrease) in other income received in advance 14,243 9,800

Increase/(Decreased) in Payables (45,109) 23,030

Cash Generated from Operations 39,944 (78,904)

Less: Income Tax (paid)

-

-

Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities 39,944 (78,904)

NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 39,944 (78,904)

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 155,575 234,479

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR 195,519 155,575

(The accompanying notes form an integral part of and should be read in conjunction with these

financial statements)

Celia Tan Tan Bee Yee

President Hon. Treasurer

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STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE

for financial year ended 31 March 2015

Note 2015 2014

S$ S$

INCOME FOR THE YEAR

Members' Annual Fees

62,966 55,250

Members' Admission Fees

1,703 10,785

Congress and Education Seminars 2 (38,861) 2,092

25,808 68,127

LESS: EXPENDITURE 3 (118,996) (95,697)

SURPLUS / (DEFICIT) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

(93,188) (27,570)

OTHER INCOME 4 25,938 29,428

TOTAL SURPLUS / (DEFICIT) BEFORE TAX

(67,250) 1,859

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX (over provided)

- 4

NET DEFICIT AFTER TAX TRANSFERRED TO ACCUMULATED

FUND

(67,250) 1,863

(The accompanying notes form an integral part of and should be read in conjunction with

these financial statements)

Celia Tan Tan Bee Yee

President Hon. Treasurer

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BALANCE SHEETS

as at 31 March 2015

Note 2015 2014

S$ S$

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Office Equipment 5 315 1,219

CURRENT ASSETS

Receivables and Prepayments

360 119,917

Cash & Bank Balances

195,519 155,575

196,194 276,711

Less: CURRENT LIABILITIES

Membership Fees Received in Advance

91,396 73,797

Other Income Received in Advance 6 34,134 19,892

Payables

5,856 50,964

Provision for Income Tax

145 145

131,531 144,798

NET CURRENT (LIABILITIES) / ASSETS

64,663 131,913

NET ASSETS

64,663 131,913

Represented by:

Accumulated Fund

64,663 131,913

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN ACCUMULATED FUND

2015 2,014

for year ended 31 March 2015

S$ S$

Balance as at 1 April 2014

131,913 130,050

Net Surplus /(Deficit) for the Year

(67,250) 1,863

Balance as at 31 March 2015

64,663 131,913

(The accompanying notes form an integral part of and should be read in conjunction with these

financial statements)

Celia Tan Tan Bee Yee

President Hon. Treasurer

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Notes to the Financial Statements at 31 March 2015

1 Assumption of Accounting Policies - basis of preparation

The financial statements for this current financial year are prepared based on the following

assumptions:

Fixed Assets

Fixed assets are depreciated / amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated

economic useful lives based on following :

Office Equipment 2 year

2 Congress and Education Seminars

2015

S$

SPA Education Talk

837

Congress –SIPC 2014

(39,698)

(38,861)

Congress - SIPC 2014

Income

Registration fees - w/shops, Congress, Public Forum 106,336

SPA Members 53,746

Non-SPA Members 52,590

Banquet Collection 9,315

SPA Members 2,960

Non-SPA Members 6,355

Exhibitors & Sponsors 52,970

Total Income 168,621

Less: Total Expenditure (208,319)

Surplus/(Deficit) (39,698)

Expenditure

Speakers' Expenses (10,205)

On-site cost - Meeting package n banquet (141,026)

Secretariat Fee (29,050)

Printing, Postage & Stationary (incl. Publicity materials) (629)

Website (200)

Miscellaneous (19,888)

Exhibitors' set up (7,321)

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3 Expenditure:

2015 2014

S$ S$

Affiliate Membership Fee

(2,155) (1,389)

Bank Charges

(215) (158)

Community Projects, Collaterals and Exhibitions

(492) (715)

Congress 50th Anniversary Book

(15,525) -

Depreciation

(903) (848)

Employees' Medical & Dental

(317) (193)

Mobile Subscription

(745) (1,484)

Office & Storage

(9,720) (9,964)

Other General Expenses

(1,080) (1,781)

Overseas Conference

- (5,200)

Planning Retreat

(2,383) -

Postage, Printing & Rental of Post Box

(411) (392)

Refreshments

(965) (1,210)

Salary and CPF

(81,930) (69,507)

Sponsorship

(388)

Stationaries

(514) (1,438)

Student Expenses

(795) (718)

Transport Expenses

(388) (631)

Website

(70) (70)

Total

(118,996) (95,697)

4 Other Income 2015 2014

S$ S$

Advertisement from members 9,770 7,920

Advertisement from non-members 7,500 13,050

Bank interest 668 708

Product Endorsement Fee 8,000 7,750

Total 25,938 29,428

5 Office Equipment

Cost

S$

Balance as at 1 April 2014

2,066

Additions

0

Disposals

0

Balance as at 31 March 2015

2,066

Accumulated Depreciation

Balance Brought Forward

848

Depreciation charge for the year

903

Balance as at 31 March 2015

1,751

Net Book Value

Balance as at 31 March 2015

316

21

Fixed Deposit

The fixed deposit in Singapore dollars earned interest of 0.7% per annum with maturity date 11

months after balance sheet date.

6 Other Income Received in Advance

2015 2014

S$ S$

# Endorsement fee

14,000 7,000

Congress - 50th Anniversary Book sponsor

- 12,000

Student Sponsor - Grad nite (excess from 2013)

892

WCPT 2015 - Bursary

20,134

34,134

19,892

Endorsing fee as at 1 April 2014

7,000 8,750

New Endorsement

15,000 6,000

Endorsing period 1Apr 2014 to 31Mar 2015

- 8,000

-

7,750

# Endorsing fee as at 31Mar 2015

14,000 7,000

Celia Tan Tan Bee Yee

President Hon. Treasurer

22

SINGAPORE-INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY CONGRESS 2014 REPORT

Organising Committee:

Dinesh Verma, Derek Tan, Yong Limin, Er Beng Siong, Vivian Lim, Qamaruzaman, Shirlynn Cai, Tong

Shuk In and Mong Yiqin

Scientific Committee:

Bala S. Rajaratnam, Lee Sin Yi, Jayachandran Balachandran, Poonam Pal, Pottori Upendranath Reddy,

Vimal Palanichamy, Kung Beng Keng, Kwok Boon Chong, Muhammad Rahizan Zainuldin, Tee Lee

Huan and Edwin Lim Choon Wyn

SINGAPORE-INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPY CONGRESS 2014 (1ST TO 4TH MAY 2014)

The event was a success and we have met our aims in public and professional education. Please see

the following for a summary report of the events as mentioned.

Public Forums

This year’s public forums took place on 1st May 2014 at the Health Promotion Board (HPB) auditorium

and the theme was “Exercise to a Healthier You”. The public forum was conduction in two sessions.

The morning session was focused on “Exercise for Falls Prevention Amongst the Elderly” and the

afternoon session on “Exercise for Weight Management”. Both sessions drew a crowd of

approximately 320 peoples.

The morning session on falls prevention saw an auditorium filled with elderly or their caregivers who

wanted to further enhance their lifestyle. Apart from an educational lecture, the participants had the

opportunity to participate in a simple yet effective exercise practical consisting of exercises that could

be done any time at home. A basic balance test was also conducted and participants identified with

high risks were advised to seek further medical assistance.

The afternoon session on weight management also saw enthusiastic participants challenged to set

positive goals to lose weight and breaking into a sweat during a 10-minute aerobic exercise

demonstration. A basic health screening was also conducted, providing participants with actual

figures such as Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) values to which they can set their

weight loss goals with.

The public forums also provided the platform for our volunteers (physiotherapists and students) to

experience physiotherapy community outreach, encouraging them to bring physiotherapy into the

community.

23

All in all, the sessions came to a close with many positive feedbacks from our participants and

volunteers and have certainly achieved our goal of raising awareness of improving one’s health

through exercise.

The Congress

The Singapore-International Physiotherapy Congress (SIPC) 2014, in conjunction with SPA celebrating its

50th anniversary, was themed “Enhancing Health through Physiotherapy: 50 years and beyond”. The

opening ceremony for SIPC 2014 was officiated by our Minister for Health, Mr. Gan Kim Yong. Mr. Gan

spoke about the importance and increasing need for Physiotherapists here in Singapore and further

highlighted its role in our graying society.

The SIPC 2014 consisted of three (3) pre-congress workshops conducted at healthcare institutions

around the island on 1st – 2nd May 2014 and a two-day congress at the Raffles City Convention Centre

on 3rd – 4th May 2014.

The pre-congress workshops were full-day workshops that explored in-depth, topics pertaining to each

of these disciplines - musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary and paediatrics. The workshops included

interactive lectures and discussions, some with a component of hands-on practical.

The two-day congress included the following: Four (4) plenary lectures, four (4) invited lectures

(including 1 special lecture), four (4) interactive forums, five (5) case discussions, nine (9)

symposiums/mini-symposiums – featuring a total of 38 speakers and panelists. The congress had a total

of thirty-five (35) oral presentations across six (6) scientific tracks and thirty-eight (38) poster

presentations.

The SIPC 2014 brought up-to-date physiotherapy research and clinical practices from our international

speakers such as Professor Fabio Pitta, Professor David Baxtor, Dr. Trudy Rebbeck as well as regional

speakers such as Professor Marco Pang, Dr. Angel Chiu and Dr. Devinder Kaur. Apart from these invited

speakers, the panelists for our sessions also featured renowned persons from around the world,

Professor Gillian Webb and Dr. Margie Sharpe, as well as locally Associate Professor Chan Yew Meng,

Dr. Ng Chun Sien and Dr. Dawn Tan.

These sessions saw more than 250 delegates both local and from around the world, participating

actively in the sessions and interacting with each other, sharing their skills and knowledge.

We would like to highlight that with the support of Lee Foundation, we have been able to waive the

admission fees to the public forums, enabling more to benefit from the public outreach event. We are

grateful to Lee Foundation for their continuous support and generosity which has provided us with the

24

capacity to bring in internationally acclaimed speakers, allowing our local physiotherapy community

the opportunity to learn from them.

50th Anniversary Gala Dinner

The Gala dinner was a grand affair held on 3rd May 2014 to celebrate the 50th milestone of the

Association. It featured musical and dance performances, lucky draws and the opportunity to

network and reconnect with many other physiotherapists.

At the gala dinner, the Association celebrated the achievements of Physiotherapists in Singapore. Our

pioneer colleagues were honoured with a 'march in' to the banquet hall. A video showcasing their

past contribution was presented. It was an emotional touching moment to honour these legendry

Physiotherapists – many of them are the first generation Physiotherapists. Ms Lim Peck Ngoh, the

Association’s first President, was presented with flower bouquet to recognise her valuable contribution

to the profession.

In commemoration of the 50th year of establishing the Singapore Physiotherapy Association, a coffee

table book titled “50-Celebrating 50 years of care, passion and excellence” was officially launched at

the gala dinner by Ms Lim and given out to members and guests at the well-attended dinner.

The Association also presented Dr Celia Tan the “Passion Award” in recognition of her passion for her

profession and tireless voluntary effort.

Finance Performance

The congress met its objective to create a platform for local and regional Physiotherapists to come

together. It drew almost equal number of Local and Overseas participants but unfortunately the

event was not able to meet financial break-even point and ended with a deficit of approximately

$39,000. This is largely attributed to the planned Gala Dinner for this very special occasion - hence it

was heavily subsidised. An expense well spent for the special celebrations.

Dinesh Verma

Chairperson, Organising Committee

25

ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Endorsements

Duoback had renewed their endorsement for their ergonomic chairs with the Association for another 3

years. There is another brand, Ergoworks, that is currently also endorsed by the Association.

Academic Development

A task force was formed to establish a physiotherapy academic development framework. The

committee consists of A/Prof Celia Tan, Dr Clement Yan, Ms. Choo Li Yeng, Ms Loy Fong Ling, Ms Tan

Bee Yee and Ms Gigi Kuwan. A/Prof Chan Yew Weng is the advisor of this task force. A meeting was

held with our advisor on 25th October 2014. A survey form to gather Singapore practiced

physiotherapists on their opinion regarding the profession development would be sent out.

Practice Guidelines

A task force was formed to write up physiotherapy private practice guideline to recommend good

standard of physiotherapy practice in Singapore private sector. The task force consists of Mr Balli, Ms

Lee Soak Yee, Ms Melina Ong and Mr Phoon with Mr Er Beng Siong as the advisor.

Gigi Kuwan Fong Pang

Accreditation Committee Chair (2014-2016)

26

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT

Objectives:

To provide a range of lectures, workshops and symposiums that brings together experts.

To provide a platform where physiotherapists of common interests can group, exchange ideas and

advance physiotherapy.

To create a platform for clinicians and budding researchers, creating a spirit of evidence-based

practice and research in Singapore.

Activities:

A total of 2 educational talks and 2 research symposiums were conducted as follows:

Date Speaker(s) Topic

26th August

2014

Goh Ah Cheng Extending the Frontiers of Physiotherapy in Healthcare – a

personal journey & global perspective

27th August

2014

Paola Ng Rehabilitation in Older Adults with Low Vision

8th November

2014

Wee Seng Kwee

Dawn Tan

Kung Beng Keng

Research and Us : Physiotherapy in Persons with Neurological

Conditions - From Acute to Community

14th March 2015 Poonam Pal

John Tan

Research and Us: Physiotherapy in Persons with

Musculoskeletal Conditions

SPA Research Grant

With effect from 1 August 2014, SPA no longer offer the SPA Research Grant due to lack of funding.

With various funding available in different organisations for researchers, the SPA Council has decided

to channel their resources on creating mentoring platforms instead.

The committee will also direct resources towards conducting lectures/workshops/symposiums on how

to design and carrying out research.

27

The Committee would like to thank the members of the Research Advisory Board for their support and

contribution. They are:

Clin. A/Prof. Chan Yew Weng

Dr Kyi Ann @ Choo Ann

Dr Lim Boon Whatt

Dr Pua Yong Hao

Mr Satyaki Sengupta

Future Plans and Commitments

The Committee will continue to organise quarterly themed symposiums, workshops and ad-hoc

lectures by invited local/overseas expert speakers.

Lee Sin Yi and Katherin Huang

Education Committee Chairs (2014 – 2016)

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

Membership

As of the 31st of March 2015, we have a total of 787 members (including student members). As per the

last report, our committee had acknowledged that the membership numbers are declining and we

had tried to increase our membership. We also noticed that the student membership numbers were

also dwindling. We did a total of 6 membership drives, including 1 each at NYP and SIT-TCD. We

managed to increase the voting member numbers from 485 to 670. We attribute this increase in the

membership numbers to the upcoming WCPT Congress 2015 as the members would enjoy vast savings

in the congress fees. Beyond the WCPT Congress, we plan to continue to engage our members,

through our EDMs and activities

We had also conducted a student survey about their view of their student membership prior to our

membership drive at NYP. We had reviewed their response and had addressed them during the visit to

NYP. Following that membership drive, we managed to increase the student membership from 54 to

88. We plan to continue to engage the students and will be doing another membership drive during

the 1st year orientation.

Total Number of Members:

Category AS @ 01APR14 AS @ 31MAR15

Life 21 28

Ordinary 444 590

Spouse 16 17

Post-grad 4 35

Total Voting Members 485 670

Students 54 88

Associate 0 29

Total Members 539 787

Membership Perks

We had managed to get a few perks for our members this financial year, tying up with Alive Museum

and Starhub Cable to offer discounts for our members. We will continue to look out for more deals for

our members.

Calvin Sim and Yong Limin

Membership Committee Chairs (2014 – 2016)

29

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT

As the saying goes “Change is only constant”, financial year 2014 was no different with the many

changes in administrative support, implementation of policies and procedures to manage internal and

external corporate communication affairs.

The current Corporate Communication Committee is co-chaired by Mr Michael Yan from Balance

Core Pte Ltd, Mr Shawn Soh from Nanyang Polytechnic, and Ms Prithvi Balaji from Thye Hua Kwan

Moral Society.

Firstly, we take this opportunity to thank our previous Corporate Communications Committee (CCC)

chairpersons headed by Mr Qamaruzaman Bin Syed Gani and Ms Shirlynn Cai Yunde. We express our

gratitude to our former Administrative Assistant, Ms Helen Tjow for her dedication and commitment in

Singapore Physiotherapy Association’s work. We also open out our warm welcome and appreciation

to Mr Jonathan Chia, Administrative Assistant for his tireless support and meticulous assistance with our

endless work. We thank Ms Maureen Loh for her endless support and encouragement.

FY2014 is indeed an eventful one. When our team first met on 5th June 2014, we spearheaded through

a few initiatives with one key objective: To project Singapore Physiotherapy Association’s image of

“Trust”, “Credibility”, “High Quality Standards” to the public. Recognizing our limited manpower and

financial resources, our team strategized to create the maximum impact on a corporate

communication front while maximizing our scarce resources. The few initiatives are listed as follow:

Recruitment and Engagement of Volunteers

A keen and passionate group of volunteers are instrumental to drive through association related

activities. Mr Michael Yan spoke candidly to various heads of departments on the need of engaging

their physiotherapists with professional related activities. As a committee, we reached out through our

networks to our fellow physiotherapists to support and help out in signature events e.g. Public Health

Screening Day and World Diabetes Day. We are delighted to acknowledge our physiotherapy

volunteers from hospital, community and private sectors who will support our cause on an ad-hoc

basis. To date, we count to no less than 10 key active volunteers to assist us. We will continue to strive

to recruit and engage more volunteers to support our activities.

We also continually seek to resolve past challenges. For example, one challenge surfaced previously

was the inadequate patient education material to be distributed to public. We are heartened to

acknowledge that hospitals have come together and support Singapore Physiotherapy Association

with the provision of their patient education materials. These information materials can be provided to

the public on the association’s request.

Physiotherapy Day 2014

In celebration of Physiotherapy Day 2014, SPA led on a 2-prong strategy to engage our partners and

physiotherapy members.

We are also pleased to report on our 6 hospital and community partners coming together to celebrate

World Physiotherapy 2014. Changi General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Kwong Wai Shiu

Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, Society for the Physically Disabled and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

30

They conducted a series of fun filled activities for staff and public members to increase their awareness

about physiotherapy.

As an internal drive event to bring physiotherapy members together, we organized the activity “Fun

under the Stars” barbeque party at East Coast Park on 27 September 2014. It was a great activity for

our fellow physiotherapists to relax and mingle. Participants took opportunity to catch up with old

friends and made some new friends. It was a wonderful platform to bond our physiotherapists from

public hospitals, private and community sectors.

At the media front, SPA President Dr Celia Tan rallies our physiotherapists on the cause to retain

physiotherapists in public sector. The role of physiotherapists is key in the continuum of care provided to

patients requiring rehabilitation and a better quality of life.

(Link:http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/vital-retain-physiotherapists-public-

sector-20140926)

Media Engagement

Our committee has also engaged both print and broadcast media representatives e.g. Straits Times,

Channel News Asia, Media Corp Chinese Current Affairs. Mr Michael Yan from Singapore

Physiotherapy Association and Dr Meredith Yeung from Singapore Institute of Technology had a 10-min

live studio interview with Mediacorp Channel 8 on 14 January 2015 to share about the career

prospects of Physiotherapists in Singapore.

One of the challenges surfaced with media engagement is the fragmented approach of media

engagement for physiotherapy professional related matters. As media representatives have their

network with their respective contacts with our partners, many do approach them directly, and hence

SPA may be left out in the loop. Moving forward, SPA will continue to rally physiotherapists to support

the Association and to keep Association aware and updated if physiotherapy related matters are

news worthy or should be in news coverage.

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Activities for 2014 – 2015

Public Health Screening 2014

Public Health Screening (PHS) is an annual project organised by the NUS Medical Society which aims to

raise health awareness amongst Singapore’s public. The event was held on 11th and 12th October

2014 at Clementi Mall. Singapore Physiotherapy Association worked in collaboration with NUS in

organizing the Fall Risk Assessment component of the Public Health Screening 2014.

This year, Singapore Physiotherapy Association saw over 25 volunteers participating in the event and

managed to reach out to approximately 1,400 participants over the span of 2 days. Falls screening tool

SPPB was conducted by NUS & NYP student volunteers to screen participants and consultations were

conducted by working physiotherapists, who signed up for the event via SPA.

PHS 2014 adopted a new focus on public health awareness, with a central theme of “Promoting

Health, Spreading Awareness”. Keeping to the theme, we educated the citizens about on safe home

environment and importance of exercise in daily living. We also addressed some of their concerns

about the type of exercise and rehabilitation requirements for their particular problems.

Overall it was a fruitful experience working with fellow professionals in reaching to the public and

highlighting the importance of staying safe and fit. Hence the importance of Physiotherapists. We urge

more therapists to step up to volunteering in health screenings in the years to come, to experience the

satisfaction gained in interaction with the healthy individuals, to advocate for our profession and

reach out to more in the community.

World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2014

SPA, yearly participates in the World Diabeties Day event organised by the Diabeties society of

Singapore. “Managing Diabetes made EASY” was the theme and that is what our team of

physiotherapists volunteers did during World Diabetes Day Singapore 2014 held on 23 November 2014

(Sunday) 1pm to 4pm at Suntec Singapore, Convention and Exhibition Center.

The event targeted to reach to about 1000 participants. Coordinated through Singapore

Physiotherapy Association, our team set up four stations which aimed to:

32

Risks of Diabetes

Strengthening exercises with Therabands.

Stretching Exercises

Management of Diabetes through exercise

All the participants were screened through questionnaire before their participation in the exercise

regime. Participants were all given a free theraband which was kindly sponsored by ANTZ Latex Pte

Ltd.

The activities kept participants active and engaged. Some participants stayed behind to ask more

questions to our enthusiastic volunteers who were very kind in addressing their concerns. Some also

complimented the volunteers for taking the time and effort on a Sunday afternoon to help out in this

event.

Shawn Soh (Mr.), Michael Yan Yong and Prithvi Balaja

Coporate Communications Committee Chairs (2014 – 2016)

33

STUDENT COUNCIL 2014 COMMITTEE REPORT

President: Mr Derrick Tan

Vice-president: Miss Goh Kai Ying

Secretary: Miss Khuzaimah Binte Zainal

Treasurer: Mr Eric Fernando

Public Relations Head: Miss Naazreen Elias

Public Relations Officer: Miss Nur Sakeenah

Public Relations Officer: Miss Jasmine Chia

Public Relations Officer: Miss Nur Syathirah

Welfare Head: Mr James Cher Shi Hao

Welfare Officer: Miss Chia Hui Yi

Welfare Officer: Miss Dhachayini Balasubramaniam

Welfare Officer: Miss Daphne Tang

The student council 2013/2014 began its term in October 2013. Upon inception, we were designated as

the 5th Singapore Physiotherapy Student Council (5th SPSC 2014). However, in the following months, we

reviewed our affiliations and our aims and decided to change our name to reflect our new direction.

We thus adopted the title “5th Singapore Physiotherapy Student Association Council (SPASC)”.

The 5th SPASC organised several events and activities during its term with the primary purpose of

strengthening intra-cohort and inter-cohort bonds. The first of which was Orientation 2014, where the

first years were randomly placed into groups with a mixture of students from each tutorial class. This

allowed them to make friends across the cohort while they familiarised themselves with the school’s

facilities and participated in various games.

We also ran Sports Day 2014 and Recreational-Educational activities (REactivities) which aimed to

promote bonding between all three batches. Sports Day 2014 was an event which allowed the

physiotherapy students to showcase their athletic prowess in unconventional games, while REactivities

included workshops such as slack lining and hip hop dancing. In addition, we facilitated games such

as “Angel-Mortal” for our own cohort to get to know each other better.

34

Of course we also could not forget the people who had toiled endlessly for our sakes. During the

Teacher’s Appreciation Day, a small token of our gratitude was presented to each of our lecturers on

behalf of the entire student population.

The 5th SPASC holds the belief that maintaining high SPA membership numbers will allow for a more

stable platform upon which we can build a strong association for all physiotherapists in Singapore. To

this end, we proposed a fee revision for student membership in November 2013 to the incumbent adult

council with the hope that an increase in student members will translate into an increase in adult

members upon graduation. To further entice students to apply for membership, we revised the student

member benefits to include discounts on goniometer purchase and REactivities, in addition to the

existing benefits already awarded.

Now that the baton has been passed down to our passionate and capable juniors, it is our hope that

SPASC continues to play an integral part in uniting the various cohorts for years to come.

Derrick Tan

5th SPASC President (2014-2015)