SMC's power to fine is limited to $10,000.

[reachme2003]

Singapore Medical Council's power is grossly inadequate, considering the monies medical doctors make here. The law should be reviewed and additional powers to be given to SMC.

Grace Polyclinic's licensee, ex Doc Chia fined $10,000 for the many counts of charges he was guilty of. Medical doctors are exempted from the clutches of central narcotics bureau.

Afternote: ex doc Chia has been struck off the register by SMC.

 

[dkw]

Singapore Medical Council's power is grossly inadequate, considering the monies medical doctors make here. The law should be reviewed and additional powers to be given to SMC.

Grace Polyclinic's licensee, ex Doc Chia fined $10,000 for the many counts of charges he was guilty of. Medical doctors are exempted from the clutches of central narcotics bureau.

Afternote: ex doc Chia has been struck off the register by SMC.

And exactly how much do medical doctors make here??

 

[Mod]

Do the drug companies pay these doctors commission based on the number of pills they can move across the counter?

 

[anka]

$10k is about what they make in 1-2 months.

Per month
GP : $4k-$10k
Specialist : $10k-$40k

 

[reachme2003]

GPs are kind of at low end. A young GP makes more than $4k a month. With experienced GPs running their own practice, $10k fine can be paid off with a month's earnings.

 

[dkw]

GPs are kind of at low end. A young GP makes more than $4k a month. With experienced GPs running their own practice, $10k fine can be paid off with a month's earnings.

And 4K to 10K a month is a lot of monies??? I know of cabbies who make 3K+ a month. Top hairdressers can easily gross > 10K. Don't forget, the brief of the SMC goes far beyond monetary penalties, many of these errant docs have been slapped with lengthy suspensions or even struck off. Its like saying the LTA should be allowed to fine motorists $100K for speeding, its the wrong tool in the wrong hands.

 

[ptwong]

actually depending on popularity of the GP and if he or she is part of a established setup, can range from 6-20k.

dkw: being strike off from SMC doesn't really mean anything, they can always go overseas to countries that are not under the Commonwealth to work again. (outright example is the Dr who went over to england? and took up another job) I agree with you about the part "wrong tool in wrong hands" Do you have any other suggestions for punishment?

 

[dkw]

dkw: being strike off from SMC doesn't really mean anything, they can always go overseas to countries that are not under the Commonwealth to work again. (outright example is the Dr who went over to england? and took up another job) I agree with you about the part "wrong tool in wrong hands" Do you have any other suggestions for punishment?

Absolutely and totally wrong! Being struck off the rolls is the end of the career for a doc here and anywhere else around the developed world. No self-respecting health authority will register you to practise as a physician if you have been found to be guilty of gross misconduct. If you are talking about the Simon Shorvon case, please get the facts of the case correct, he was holding a senior position at a London hospital, and was on secondment to NNI to be the head and help establish a research infrastructure. He was never 'struck off' the rolls here and always continued to hold his registration in the UK. No such recourse exists for physicians registered solely in Singapore, which I guess would be more than 90%! So, far from "it doesn't mean anything", it means EVERYTHING.
What I'm saying is that a severe censure/suspension/removal from register is far worse than a $150K fine, far more of a disincentive, and is more than sufficient.

 

[ptwong]

Absolutely and totally wrong! Being struck off the rolls is the end of the career for a doc here and anywhere else around the developed world. No self-respecting health authority will register you to practise as a physician if you have been found to be guilty of gross misconduct. If you are talking about the Simon Shorvon case, please get the facts of the case correct, he was holding a senior position at a London hospital, and was on secondment to NNI to be the head and help establish a research infrastructure. He was never 'struck off' the rolls here and always continued to hold his registration in the UK. No such recourse exists for physicians registered solely in Singapore, which I guess would be more than 90%! So, far from "it doesn't mean anything", it means EVERYTHING.
What I'm saying is that a severe censure/suspension/removal from register is far worse than a $150K fine, far more of a disincentive, and is more than sufficient.

Ha...thanks for the facts, guess i got mine facts screwed anyway, just to share something with you, A friend of mine who got struck off here, went over to south america, set up a practice and is doing pretty well. and according to him quite a few doctors have done that also. That's why to me is not a big deal.

 

[StreetShooter]

Ha...thanks for the facts, guess i got mine facts screwed anyway, just to share something with you, A friend of mine who got struck off here, went over to south america, set up a practice and is doing pretty well. and according to him quite a few doctors have done that also. That's why to me is not a big deal.

Thanks. That's a useful bit of info should I ever need it.

 

[dkw]

Ha...thanks for the facts, guess i got mine facts screwed anyway, just to share something with you, A friend of mine who got struck off here, went over to south america, set up a practice and is doing pretty well. and according to him quite a few doctors have done that also. That's why to me is not a big deal.

Guess what :embrass: , looks like I was the one who messed up some facts. Shorvon WAS struck off eventually. I had been following the case closely up till the point the MOH report was released, must have happened after that. I apologise. But the fact remains that being struck off is no trivial punishment. Your point about SA is an interesting one though.

 

[ptwong]

Thanks. That's a useful bit of info should I ever need it.

I hope you never need to use this info though....