Expand All |
Collapse All
Q1. Can the SMC help me to assess whether there are grounds for me to lodge a complaint?
A1. The SMC is unable to provide advice to individuals on whether there are grounds for them to lodge a complaint. If you wish to lodge a complaint against a doctor, you may wish to refer to section 40 of the Medical Registration Act (“
MRA”) 1997 (as amended in 2020) and the
SMC's Information Sheet for more information on what types of complaints the SMC will accept.
Q2. How do I lodge a complaint against a doctor?
A2. The SMC operates under the remit of the Medical Registration Act 1997 ("
MRA") in regulating the conduct of registered medical practitioners in Singapore.
Under the MRA, if you wish to lodge a complaint against a doctor, you must submit a written complaint accompanied by a Statutory Declaration (“
SD”) which can be made before a Commissioner for Oaths (“
CO”), Notary Public (“
NP”) or Justice of the Peace (“
JP”). You may visit the Singapore Academy of Law’s website
here for a list of COs and NPs in Singapore. Kindly ensure that all fields in the SD are duly completed.
Your complaint must be
type-written in English and should include the
full name of the doctor(s), the full facts of the case and your allegations against the doctor(s). Please refer to the
Sample Letter / Template for guidance when preparing your type-written complaint.
Once the SD has been duly endorsed, please scan it in colour and send us the following documents at
smc@spb.gov.sg. Your email submission should contain only two attachments.
a) Endorsed SD, complaint letter and supporting documents should be consolidated
in one PDF file; and
b) A completed and signed copy of the letter of acknowledgement form (see page 6 of information sheet)
Please note that we will only be able to process your complaint when the above documents have been provided. The
SMC may reject any complaint or SD not made in compliance with the Singapore law or in accordance with its requirements.
For more information on how to lodge a complaint with the SMC, please refer to the
SMC's Information Sheet.
Q3. I am a foreigner and am not residing in Singapore. How do I lodge a complaint against a doctor whom I consulted while I was in Singapore?
A3. Under the MRA, if you wish to lodge a complaint against a doctor, you must submit a written complaint accompanied by a SD which can be made before a CO, NP, JP or with any other person having authority under any law for the time being in force in that country to take or receive a declaration.
Your complaint must be
type-written in English and should include the
full name of the doctor(s), the full facts of the case and your allegations against the doctor(s). Please refer to the
Sample Letter / Template for guidance when preparing your type-written complaint.
Once the SD has been duly endorsed, please scan it in colour and send us the following documents at
smc@spb.gov.sg. Your email submission should contain only two attachments.
a) Endorsed SD, complaint letter and supporting documents should be consolidated
in one PDF file; and
b) A completed and signed copy of the letter of acknowledgement form (see page 6 of information sheet)
Please note that we will only be able to process your complaint when the above documents have been provided. The
SMC may reject any complaint or SD not made in compliance with the Singapore law or in accordance with its requirements.
For more information on how to lodge a complaint with the SMC, please refer to the
SMC's Information Sheet.
Q4. Can the SMC advise me on whether the treatment I received from the doctor is appropriate?
A4. The SMC is unable to advise individuals on the medical management of a patient by a doctor. If you have doubts about the treatment received from a doctor, please seek clarification from the doctor/healthcare institution(s) or seek a second opinion before deciding on your next course of action.
Q5. Can I submit a complaint against the hospital/clinic?
A5. The SMC can only consider complaints against doctors and is not empowered by law to look into complaints against any healthcare institution(s).
Medical clinics and healthcare establishments are regulated under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 by the Ministry of Health (“MOH”). You may wish to contact and address your feedback/complaints against any healthcare institution(s) to MOH.
Q6. Can I submit a complaint without the full name of the doctor?
A6. No. To facilitate the processing and investigation of the complaint, a complaint to the SMC against a doctor must state the full name of the doctor.
Q7. I do not have the name/full name of the doctor(s). Can the SMC help me to obtain the name(s)?
A7. The SMC is unable to obtain the full name of the doctor(s) for you and/or assist in the drafting of your complaint. Where necessary, please contact the relevant healthcare institution(s) to find out the name of the doctor(s). Alternatively, you can also search for the full name of the doctor in the SMC register via the link
here.
Q8. Will the doctor be able to see my complaint?
A8. As part of a fair and impartial investigation, it is usually necessary for the doctor to be called upon to answer any allegation/s made against him/her. Hence, it is a legal requirement for us to furnish a full copy of your SD, complaint letter and supporting documents to the doctor and any other person who may be called upon to assist in the investigation of the case.
Q9. Is there a deadline for me to submit the complaint?
A9. A complaint must be lodged within six years of the incident or the earliest date on which the complainant knew or could have reasonably known about the incident, in accordance with section 41 of the MRA.
Q10. Can I submit my complaint without making a Statutory Declaration?
A10. Under section 40(2) of the MRA, your complaint must be in writing, be supported by a SD and be accompanied by every relevant document and information that is in your possession.
Q11. Can the SMC help me to draft my complaint?
A11. As an independent administrator of the disciplinary process, the SMC is unable to assist in the drafting of complaints.
Q12. Can I not use the Sample Letter / Template to submit my complaint?
A12. The
Sample Letter / Template is a guide to draft your complaint as it contains all the relevant fields that an Inquiry Committee (“
IC”) and a Complaints Committee (“
CC”) would require to investigate your complaint. You are therefore strongly encouraged to adhere to this guide.
Please also note that handwritten complaint letters are not accepted and all complaints must be
type-written in English.
Q13. I am unable to submit my SD, complaint letter and/or supporting documents via email. Can I mail to the SMC instead?
A13. If the size of your document is too big to be sent to us via email, you may mail the hardcopy to us instead. You may also wish to consider utilising tracked mail services (e.g. registered mails, courier) to ensure that we receive your documents. The SMC would not be responsible for any lost mails.
Q14. Is the SMC the right platform for me to obtain compensation from a doctor?
A14. No, the SMC is not the platform to get compensation. Under the MRA, if your complaint is found to be valid, the disciplinary framework only allows for the imposition of disciplinary sanctions against doctors. The law does not allow for an order of monetary compensation to be made. If you intend to seek monetary compensation from the doctor(s), you should seek your own independent legal advice.
Please note that if a complaint is found to be frivolous, vexatious, misconceived, or lacking in substance by an Inquiry Committee or a Complaints Committee, the complainant may be ordered to pay costs for the matter to the respondent doctor under section 49 of the MRA.
Q15. My doctor/clinic/hospital has charged me an amount for the medication/ consultation fee /medical report. Can I ask if this amount is correct? Can they charge me this amount?
A15. The SMC does not issue guidelines on doctors’ fees and charges and is not able to comment on the appropriateness of the fees charged by the doctor or clinic.
As medical clinics and healthcare establishments are regulated under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 by MOH, you may wish to provide your feedback to MOH.
Alternatively, if you are keen to go for mediation, you may wish to approach the Mediation Unit by MOH Holdings Pte Ltd (“
MOHH”) for assistance at
(65) 9116 9364 or email them at
mediate@mohh.com.sg. You may also visit their website
https://www.mohh.com.sg/hms/home for more information.
Q16. How long will it take for my complaint to be looked into?
A16. The Inquiry Committee has 6 weeks to decide if a complaint should be dismissed or referred to a Complaints Committee (“CC”) to inquire into the matter and direct one or more investigators to investigate the matter.
Should a complaint be referred to a CC, it can take more than 6 months for the CC to complete its inquiry, depending on the complexity of the matter. If the subject matter of the complaint involves external proceedings such as a police investigation, a Coroner’s inquiry or Court proceedings, the CC will usually wait for such findings before making a determination on the case. .
Q17. Will I be updated of the status of my complaint with the SMC?
A17. As all proceeding before the Inquiry Committee (“IC”) and Complaints Committee (“CC”) are confidential, you will not receive periodic updates on the status of the inquiries. Although the SMC appoints the ICs and CCs, these committees remain independent and separate bodies from the SMC. Hence, the SMC Secretariat is not empowered to release any information to anyone, including yourself or anyone whom you have authorised to receive information on your behalf. You will be informed in writing of the outcome of the IC or CC’s deliberations only at the conclusion of the matter.
Q18. Can I submit additional information after I have lodged a complaint with the SMC?
A18. Yes, you can, if the additional information was not already in your possession at the time when you have submitted your complaint to the SMC (refer to Q10 above). However, you may wish to first consider if it is necessary, as the submission of additional information at a later stage is likely to prolong the time needed by the IC or CC to look into the complaint. You are therefore strongly encouraged to ensure that all necessary, relevant information has been obtained and included into your complaint before submitting it to the SMC. At the submission of any additional information, please explain why such information was not submitted or not available earlier.