People applying for government social assistance schemes have had an easier time since February last year, as they no longer have to submit multiple documents to different agencies.
This is thanks to the One Client View (OneCV) platform that gives a front-line officer assessing a case a comprehensive view of the person's information and assistance history, allowing him to better evaluate the support needed.
For instance, if a social service officer notices that a citizen applying for ComCare has rental flat arrears, he will refer the applicant to the Housing Board for a rental housing subsidy.
Applicants must consent for their data to be shared across 15 government agencies using this platform, which was developed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Government Technology Agency. Since its roll-out, 2,500 officers from 40 agencies have performed more than 163,000 checks on the platform.
For its impact on making government services more accessible to the public, the OneCV project received the One Public Service Award at the Public Sector Transformation (PST) Awards yesterday.
The annual event recognises public agencies and their officers for excellence in their work and organisational practices. A total of 67 people and organisations were given awards across 12 categories.
At the event at NTUC Centre, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing commended the OneCV initiative.
"Such collaboration and agility in pulling resources together help us tackle the multitude of challenges in the complex world we are in today," he said. He pointed out that it is important for officers to learn continuously and pick up new skills throughout their time in the public sector, which employs about 153,000 people in Singapore.
The public service needs officers who care about community and environmental causes, he said, and those who pursue their interests in those areas will be supported.
An example is food technology specialist and senior lecturer at Nanyang Polytechnic Lina Tan, 48. She clinched the Exemplary Innovator Award for developing nutrient-dense and visually appealing food for the elderly with swallowing difficulties , or dysphagia.
Ms Tan's late father-in-law developed dysphagia due to old age in 2018, when he was 79. She said his meals were limited to porridge and pureed vegetables.
"I always asked myself if I would like to eat this kind of food if I (have this condition)," she said.
Ms Tan worked with partners like fishball supplier Thong Siek Global and urban farm Opal Resources to develop soft Teochew fishcake and pureed yong tau foo. The products are fortified with nutrients like calcium and protein.
Other winners include the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), which bagged the Regulatory Excellence Award.
It implemented a mandatory facade inspection regime every seven years for buildings above 20 years of age and taller than 13m from January this year, to ensure defects are detected early before they endanger the public.
Singapore is the only country in South-east Asia to have such an inspection regime, said BCA.
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore took the Service Delivery Excellence Award for going paperless. It now issues digital notices by default, with more than three million taxpayers receiving them.
