Tuesday
Mar222011
SMC (ordered) to explain decisions on complaints
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 8:51PM Source: Todayonline.com Mar 21, 2011
SINGAPORE - In the wake of a High Court ruling last month - in which the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) was ordered to explain to a businessman why it did not launch an inquiry against his wife's gynaecologist - the SMC has moved to address how it handles complaints against doctors.
In cases where SMC's complaints committee issues a letter of advice, warning or dismisses the complaint, the committee will be "reminded to provide comprehensive reasons setting out the (its) assessment for each of the allegations", an SMC spokesman said in response to MediaCorp's queries.
The SMC will also disclose the names of all the complaints committee's members in the outcome letters sent to complainants. This "ensures strong credibility and transparency in the investigative processes and powers" of the committee, the spokesman added.
Businessman Lee Boon Kim brought his case to the High Court after he was unsatisfied with the level of disclosure over why his complaint against Dr Tham Kok Fun was dismissed - despite writing in to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Dr Tham had removed a cyst from Mr Lee's wife, allegedly without telling her or getting her informed consent.
In spite of SMC's latest moves, a previous complainant, Mr Lee Ip San, felt that more could be done to improve SMC's accountability "to its parent ministry and to the public".
Mr Lee, 41, had filed a complaint in 2009 against three doctors for allegedly delaying treatment to his late mother. He told MediaCorp that it was "important (that) complainants get closure".
He spent a year corresponding with SMC and MOH. "When the reasons were finally given, they were neither comprehensive nor relevant to my queries," he said.
Mr Lee added: "There's a three-year validity window for taking legal actions against doctors in Singapore, and dealing with SMC and MOH has taken a substantial chunk of the window."
The issue of transparency in SMC hearings were aired in Parliament in January last year, as amendments to the Medical Registration Act was passed to give SMC greater investigative powers and more teeth to protect patients' interest.
Jurong GRC Member of Parliament Halimah Yacob - who was one of four MPs to raise the issue - noted then that rejecting a complaint without reasons leads to speculation that the medical watchdog protects its own. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in response that MOH would study the matter, "given the rising level of interest in the issue of transparency".
In cases where SMC's complaints committee issues a letter of advice, warning or dismisses the complaint, the committee will be "reminded to provide comprehensive reasons setting out the (its) assessment for each of the allegations", an SMC spokesman said in response to MediaCorp's queries.
The SMC will also disclose the names of all the complaints committee's members in the outcome letters sent to complainants. This "ensures strong credibility and transparency in the investigative processes and powers" of the committee, the spokesman added.
Businessman Lee Boon Kim brought his case to the High Court after he was unsatisfied with the level of disclosure over why his complaint against Dr Tham Kok Fun was dismissed - despite writing in to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Dr Tham had removed a cyst from Mr Lee's wife, allegedly without telling her or getting her informed consent.
In spite of SMC's latest moves, a previous complainant, Mr Lee Ip San, felt that more could be done to improve SMC's accountability "to its parent ministry and to the public".
Mr Lee, 41, had filed a complaint in 2009 against three doctors for allegedly delaying treatment to his late mother. He told MediaCorp that it was "important (that) complainants get closure".
He spent a year corresponding with SMC and MOH. "When the reasons were finally given, they were neither comprehensive nor relevant to my queries," he said.
Mr Lee added: "There's a three-year validity window for taking legal actions against doctors in Singapore, and dealing with SMC and MOH has taken a substantial chunk of the window."
The issue of transparency in SMC hearings were aired in Parliament in January last year, as amendments to the Medical Registration Act was passed to give SMC greater investigative powers and more teeth to protect patients' interest.
Jurong GRC Member of Parliament Halimah Yacob - who was one of four MPs to raise the issue - noted then that rejecting a complaint without reasons leads to speculation that the medical watchdog protects its own. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in response that MOH would study the matter, "given the rising level of interest in the issue of transparency".
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