Volunteers, individuals, organisations and companies need to play larger roles on the ground to bridge the gap between the lack of healthcare professionals and an aging population, said Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin.

Mr Tan, who was speaking at the Annual Dinner and Dance of non-profit organisation Sata CommHealth on Saturday, said more needs to be done to better understand what is happening on the ground and "That's where grassroots come in".

He also highlighted once more the need for efficient healthcare systems and enhanced skills sets in the healthcare community to combat the labour crunch.

"Many industries currently face a tight labour market, and the healthcare industry is no exception," said Mr Tan.