Doctors in Public Service Freelancing in the Private Sector

Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Health (a) whether doctors in the public service are allowed to freelance in the private sector; and (b) based on current levels, what percentage of a senior consultant's pay comes from his salary and what percentage comes from seeing private patients.

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Mr Gan Kim Yong: As a general policy, public sector doctors are not allowed to freelance in the private sector while remaining an employee of a public healthcare institution. However, public sector doctors may seek special permission from their employer to work part-time in the private sector and such requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Institutions may accede to requests if there are strong reasons, such as the need to retain these doctors to meet the service or education needs of the institutions. Doctors who work part-time in the private sector have to abide by the rules and guidelines set by their respective institutions to protect the interests of the institution. They also continue to see subsidised patients and fulfil other commitments, such as mentoring and teaching of medical students and junior doctors.

In 2011, 82% of the Senior Consultants' salary, on average, was funded by the public healthcare institutions' revenue. This includes their base salary, bonuses and allowances. The remaining 18% of the Senior Consultants' salary, on average, comprises professional fees levied directly on full paying patients in the public healthcare institutions.