Guidelines for Doctors' Communication of Information to Patient's Family

The following question stood in the name of Dr Chia Shi-Lu –

1 To ask the Minister for Health in light of the recent case of a $50,000 fine by the Singapore Medical Council for a doctor who was tricked into conveying medical information to a patient's brother (a) what are the parameters for communication between doctors and family members, especially when a patient may not be in the position to provide consent or has given implied but not express consent; and (b) what provisions are there in a perceived urgency or emergency, or if doctors have been deliberately misled into giving the information, despite the information being given in good faith and with due concern for the patient.

2 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Health in respect of the Singapore Medical Council (SMC)'s action against a doctor for breaching patient confidentiality (a) whether the Ministry will review the mitigating factors in the case; (b) how will this SMC ruling impact on any urgent need for doctors to transmit information over the telephone to their patients or their care-givers; and (c) whether the Ministry will be drawing clearer guidelines for the medical profession to comply with.

Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Question No 1.

The Minister for Health (Mr Gan Kim Yong): Mr Speaker, as I would be making a Ministerial Statement later on this subject, may I have your permission to take both Question Nos 1 and 2 during my Ministerial Statement?

Mr Speaker: Yes, please. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah.