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Inquiries and Complaints Guide

Inquiries and Complaints Guide

This guide helps direct complaints to healthcare providers or the Ministry, facilitating quick resolution and enhancing healthcare delivery.

Last updated 8 November 2024

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Overview

What can I do if I have a complaint?

Stage 1: Issues management at healthcare provider level

Stage 2: Escalation

Role of the Medical Mediation Scheme in the public healthcare complaints management system

Overview

MOH is committed to providing an efficient and fair resolution of public disputes to enhance our healthcare delivery system. We recognise that things can sometimes go wrong. We aim to respond positively to any complaints and improve our processes from your feedback.

To facilitate this process, we hope that the below step-by-step outline of procedures will be of help to you in lodging your specific concerns or complaints with the healthcare service providers or the Ministry.

Knowing how and where to channel your specific concerns could help you resolve the issue more speedily and saves you time and effort as well.

What can I do if I have a complaint?

You should initially raise your concern with the specific healthcare provider ie person dealing with your case. A simple misunderstanding may have arisen which can be easily resolved. You may find that your question or complaint can be satisfied in this way, informally. However, if this is not possible, you can ask for the issue to be considered as an official complaint.

At this stage, you can lodge your complaint with the Healthcare Institution (HCI) either in writing by letter or e-mail. It would be helpful if you could define the cause of your dissatisfaction in terms of the above criteria i.e. omission, lack of quality or inappropriate conduct. Get to know who your case manager is. In writing to the HCIs, please include your full particulars (ie. Name, NRIC, gender, age, contact address and contact number).

Stage 1: Issues management at healthcare provider level

The list of issues and service response time is indicated for your reference. As responsible HCIs, they should try to resolve your concerns. If you are not satisfied with the person who you are dealing with, then ask to escalate it to the person’s reporting officer.

Nature of complaint	Instituition	Response Time
Public/Private Healthcare Institutions Change of appointment dates or requesting for an earlier appointment Medical care management while being an inpatient or outpatient Service quality of medical staff ie doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals Queries on itemised billing and financial discrepancies
Specific Healthcare Institution (HCI) Procedure: As a Service Provider, the Healthcare Institution has the responsibility to assist you in the first instance and to clarify any misunderstandings. It also allows them to carry out any detailed investigations and to respond to your specific concerns.	7 - 21 days

Nature of complaint

Instituition

Response Time

Public/Private Healthcare Institutions

Change of appointment dates or requesting for an earlier appointment

Medical care management while being an inpatient or outpatient

Service quality of medical staff ie doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals

Queries on itemised billing and financial discrepancies

Specific Healthcare Institution (HCI)

Procedure:

As a Service Provider, the Healthcare Institution has the responsibility to assist you in the first instance and to clarify any misunderstandings. It also allows them to carry out any detailed investigations and to respond to your specific concerns.

7 - 21 days

Stage 2: Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the reply from the healthcare institution you complained against, you can write to MOH, SMC, SNB, SDC, Singapore Mediation Centre or the private healthcare institutions listings, according to the nature of your complaint. In proceeding with this stage, please furnish the stage two institutions with the original complaint, all the written correspondences between the HCI and yourself/family

Nature of complaint		Response Time
National healthcare or health finance policy queries Public health safety issues and feedback to MOH for review or consideration
	Ministry of Health Procedure: https://moh.gov.sg/feedback Tel: 1-800-225-4122 MOH has an electronic system that logs in each public query and assigns a system number with a date and time stamp. This enables the web administrator to respond in a timely manner and allow for query tracking if needed.	7 - 21 days
Professional conduct of a specific doctor
Professional conduct of a specific doctor	Singapore Medical Council Procedure: Complaints against medical practitioners are dealt with under Section 40 of the Medical Registration Act 1997.The complainant must state the full facts of his case and his allegations clearly in his letter of complaint against the doctor. https://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/smc/information-for-public-patients/submitting-a-complaint Statutory Declaration form The Complaints Committee can only proceed with the investigation after it has received an official complaint in writing and supported by a Statutory Declaration. Statutory Declaration form [PDF,72.3kb]	General enquiries: 3 - 7 working days Complex cases: at least 9 months
Professional conduct of a specific nurse
Professional conduct of a specific nurse	Singapore Nursing Board Procedure: The board regulates the professional conduct and practice of registered nurses, enrolled nurses, registered midwives and Advanced Practice Nurses. It looks into cases of court convictions, misconduct or negligence and health matters that affects fitness to practice. (1). Complaints that are not related to professional misconduct should be directed to the respective employing institutions. (2). Should there be an issue of professional misconduct, please write to the Board, with clear specific details of complaints including dates, place of incident and the name of the nurse/midwife. Name and contact information of the complainant must be included and attention to : snb@spb.gov.sg	General enquiries: 7 working days Complex cases: 5 – 6 mths
Professional conduct of a specific dentist
Professional conduct of a specific dentist	Singapore Dental Council Procedure: The Council will look into cases where there is professional misconduct, performance impaired by ill health or conviction. Statutory Declaration form For more information and download the SD form, please visit us at the following: https://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/sdc/members-of-public Email: SDC@spb.gov.sg	Resolution with SD: 3 mths – 1 yr
Complaints about Dental Treatment
Complaints about Dental Treatment	Singapore Dental Association The Singapore Dental Association may be able to assist in complaints about dental treatment by their member dentists. Email: admin@sda.org.sg Tel: 6258 9252	Initial response within three days
Professional conduct of a specific pharmacist
Professional conduct of a specific pharmacist	Singapore Pharmacy Council Procedure: The Council regulates the professional conduct and ethics of registered pharmacists. It will look into cases where there is professional misconduct, performance impaired by ill health or conviction in a court of law. The Complaints Committee can only proceed with the investigation after it has received an official complaint in writing and supported by a Statutory Declaration. Statutory Declaration form Instructions on putting up a Statutory Declaration Tel : 6478-5068, 6478-5063, 6478-5067	General enquiries: 3 - 7 working days
Professional conduct of a TCM practitioner
Professional conduct of a TCM practitioner	TCM Practitioners Board Procedure: The Board regulates the professional ethics and conduct of registered TCM practitioners under the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act. All registered TCM practitioners are bounded by the Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines for the services they provide. Complainant must state the full facts of his case and his allegations clearly in his letter of complaint against any registered TCM practitioner. Investigations can only proceed after the Board has received an official complaint in writing and supported by a Statutory Declaration. Statutory Declaration Form and Instructions Guidance Note on Information and Details to Provide in a Complaint Letter	General enquiries: 3 - 7 working days
Medical care and management Service quality Billing and financial disputes
	MOH Holdings Pte Ltd, Healthcare Mediation Scheme The Healthcare Mediation Scheme (HMS) promotes the use of mediation to resolve disputes between patients and healthcare institutions. At the mediation, independent mediators help parties achieve a mutually acceptable agreement by offering new perspectives in a confidential joint problem-solving process. TThe mediators will not fault-find or decide the case. Instead, the mediators assist parties in customising a comprehensive solution, which may include an explanation of medical opinions and findings, bill payment terms, financial compensation, or closed-door apology. Complainant must state the full facts of his case and his allegations clearly in his letter of complaint against any registered TCM practitioner. Under HMS, parties enjoy subsidised mediation services. Parties can obtain more information on the fees as well as free mediation advice at the HMS Helpline 6622 3755 or 9116 9364 or email to mediate@mohh.com.sg.	1 - 2 days during mediation

Role of the Medical Mediation Scheme in the public healthcare complaints management system