Treatment of Complaints made to the Singapore Medical Council

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Health (a) in the last three years, what proportion of complaints to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) about the quality of medical services rendered were referred from the Complaints Committee stage to the Disciplinary Tribunal stage; (b) what proportion of such complaints resulted in disciplinary action being taken against doctors; (c) where the SMC Complaints Committee or Disciplinary Tribunal made findings to take no formal action or to exonerate doctors in these complaints, what proportion of decisions were appealed against to the Minister and High Court respectively, and what was the appeal success rate; and (d) besides litigation, what other recourse for compensation is available to patients who have been injured or killed as a result of medical procedures.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: There were 189 concluded complaints out of all the complaints received between 2009 and 2011 relating to the quality of medical services rendered.

Of these 189 cases, the Complaints Committees took the following actions − 77 doctors were issued letters of advice, 11 doctors were issued letters of warning and 10 doctors were referred to the Disciplinary Committee or Tribunal.

There were 38 appeals to the Minister of which 18 were for cases that were dismissed, another 18 for cases in which letters of advice were given and two for cases given letters of warning. Of these 38 cases, the Minister directed that four be referred to the Disciplinary Committees/Disciplinary Tribunals for further inquiry. The SMC was directed to change the determination of the Complaints Committees in another three appeals. The Minister affirmed the determination of the Complaints Committee for 20 of the appeals, while the remaining 11, which were lodged more recently, are undergoing review.

Apart from litigation, the Complaints Committees may refer the complainant and the doctor concerned to mediation. Mediation is also a means by which doctors, hospitals or healthcare institutions can directly resolve complaints against them. During the mediation, the parties may explore the possibility of compensation.

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