Ethical issues all covered in code of conduct

Doctors' conduct in dealing with patients is strictly checked by the Singapore Medical Council in accordance to the high standards set out in this code of conduct. PHOTO: ST FILE

I thank Mr Heng Cho Choon, who has enumerated many ethical issues confronting the doctor (Doctors have to contend with many ethical dilemmas, June 7).

All these issues concerning the good conduct of professional practice are found in the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines revised and kept up to date in 2017.

This book of ethical code for doctors is freely available to the public and one needs to only Google it.

The SMC code of ethics therein is to protect the patients' interest, and to uphold a high standard of professional conduct.

Doctors' conduct in dealing with patients is strictly checked by the SMC in accordance to the high standards set out in this code of conduct.

This code was handed down from the British Medical Council during the colonial days, and has now been brought up to date since Singapore's independence. Doctors in Singapore have been guided by this for decades.

The SMC prosecute and penalise doctors constantly.

This process is transparent and this is why cases of malpractice are highlighted by the media. However, the public get the wrong perception of doctors when this is done.

These are the offenders and the black sheep of the family. They are not the norm. They are just a few among the thousands of doctors who do good work quietly without fanfare.

I am writing this to put the matter straight. Otherwise this misconception, if repeated often enough, becomes a kind of "fake news" that gives doctors a bad name.

George Wong Seow Choon (Dr)

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