Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 17/1971

Read the first time on 19th October 1971.
An Act to amend the Medical Registration Act (Chapter 218 of the 1970 Revised Edition).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows: —
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act may be cited as the Medical Registration (Amendment) Act, 1971, and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
Amendment of section 2
2.  Section 2 of the Medical Registration Act (hereinafter in this Act referred to as “the principal Act”) is hereby amended by inserting immediately after the words “University of Singapore” appearing at the end of the definition of “Singapore diploma” the expression “or of the University of Malaya (as it existed prior to the 1st day of January 1962)”.
Amendment of section 4
3.  Section 4 of the principal Act is hereby amended —
(a)by deleting subsection (1) thereof and substituting therefor the following: —
“(1)  The Medical Council shall consist of —
(a)the Director of Medical Services;
(b)one medical officer in the public service to be appointed by the President;
(c)two registered medical practitioners to be appointed by the President on the nomination of the Council of the University of Singapore;
(d)six registered medical practitioners resident in Singapore to be elected by the registered medical practitioners of Singapore; and
(e)three registered medical practitioners resident in Singapore to be appointed by the Minister.”;
(b)by deleting the expression “(c), (d), (e) and (f)” appearing in subsection (2) thereof and substituting therefor the expression “(b), (c), (d) and (e)”;
(c)by deleting subsection (3) thereof; and
(d)by deleting the expression “(g)” appearing in subsection (4) thereof and substituting therefor the expression “(d)”.
Repeal and re-enactment of section 9
4.  Section 9 of the principal Act is hereby repealed and the following substituted therefor: —
“Persons entitled to registration
9.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, the following persons shall be entitled to be registered under this Act: —
(a)any person who holds a Singapore diploma;
(b)any person holding any other degree, diploma or licence in medicine and surgery which was granted by any university, corporation, college or other body, outside Singapore, included in the Schedule to this Act but subject to the limitation appearing, where applicable, in column three thereof;
(c)any person holding any other degree, diploma or licence granted by any university, corporation, college or other body outside Singapore which is not included in the Schedule to this Act whom the Minister may, after consulting the Medical Council, by order declare to be entitled to be registered under this Act, subject to such conditions and restrictions, as may be prescribed in such order.
(2)  Before advising the Minister under paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section the Medical Council may satisfy itself, by such evidence as it may require, that the person holds a degree, diploma or licence that is not lower in standard than that required of a person who holds a Singapore diploma and, if the Medical Council is not so satisfied, it may require that person to undergo and to pass an examination conducted or arranged by the Medical Council, or by such other person or persons as it may for this purpose appoint.
(3)  Any person who is in Singapore for the purposes of teaching, research or postgraduate study in medicine or surgery under such training scheme as may be approved by the Minister in any institution recognised, from time to time, by the Medical Council for that purpose or any person who possesses medical or surgical knowledge, experience and skill which the Medical Council considers to be of international standing or are such as to have special value to the people of Singapore, or who, not having any of the qualifications mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, possesses other qualifications which, in the opinion of the Medical Council are adequate for purposes of registration under this Act, may have his name entered in the register for so long as he continues to engage himself exclusively in teaching or in research or in postgraduate study in medicine or surgery, as the case may be, under an approved training scheme or in such medical or surgical capacity as the Medical Council may specify:
Provided that registration under this subsection shall be for a period not longer than two years which may be renewed, at the discretion of the Medical Council, for a further period or periods each not exceeding one year.
(4)  The entitlement of any person to be registered under subsection (3) of this section may be subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Medical Council may impose.
(5)  The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, after consulting the Medical Council, vary or amend the Schedule to this Act to include therein any medical qualification granted by any university, corporation, college or other body which he has decided should be recognised as entitling the holder to be registered under this Act.”.
Amendment of section 11
5.  Section 11of the principal Act is hereby amended —
(a)by inserting immediately after the word “prescribed” appearing at the end of subsection (1) thereof the expression “or in such other capacity as the university or other corporation empowered to grant a Singapore diploma may approve (hereinafter referred to as “approved capacity”) and for such period as may be prescribed”;
(b)by inserting immediately after the word “surgery” appearing in the last line of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) thereof the words “and for such period or minimum period as may be prescribed in an approved capacity”;
(c)by inserting immediately after the word “midwifery” appearing in the third line of subsection (3) thereof the words “or in such other approved capacity”;
(d)by inserting immediately after the word “both” appearing in the fourth line of subsection (4) thereof the words “or in an approved capacity”;
(e)by inserting immediately after the word “midwifery” appearing in the fifth line of subsection (4) thereof the words “or in an approved capacity”; and
(f)by inserting immediately after subsection (7) thereof the following new subsection: —
“(8)  Nothing in this section shall preclude a university, corporation, college or other body empowered to grant a Singapore diploma from approving for the purposes of this section a hospital or institution in a foreign country (hereinafter referred to as “approved foreign institution”) and granting a certificate for the purpose of paragraph (a) of section 10 of this Act to the holder of a Singapore diploma provided that such holder satisfies that university, corporation, college or other body that —
(a)he has served in that approved foreign institution in a resident medical capacity for a period that is equivalent to the period prescribed under paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section; and
(b)he has performed and completed such service to the satisfaction of the competent authority or authorities controlling such approved foreign institution.”.
Repeal of section 14
6.  Section 14 of the principal Act is hereby repealed.
Amendment of section 16
7.  Section 16 of the principal Act is hereby amended by deleting subsections (5), (6) and (7) thereof and substituting therefor the following: —
“(5)  If the Medical Council is satisfied that an applicant for registration —
(a)is not entitled to be registered;
(b)is not of good fame and character; or
(c)has had his name removed from a register of medical practitioners in the United Kingdom, a territory of the Commonwealth or another country, the degrees, diplomas or licences in medicine or surgery of which are recognised as a qualification entitling the holder thereof to be licensed under this Act,
the Medical Council may, if it thinks fit, refuse to enter the name of such person upon the register.
(6)  The Medical Council shall afford the person applying for registration under this section an opportunity of being heard personally or by counsel on the application.
(7)  Where the Medical Council refuses to enter the name of a person upon the register on any of the grounds mentioned in subsection (5) of this section the Medical Council shall state in writing the reasons for the refusal and the Registrar shall forthwith by notice in writing give these reasons to the person concerned.
(8)  Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the Medical Council to enter his name upon the register may within one month of the notice given under subsection (7) of this section appeal against such refusal to the High Court and on any such appeal the High Court may give such directions in the matter as it thinks proper including any directions as to the cost of the appeal.
(9)  No appeal shall lie from an order of the High Court under this section.”.
New section 16A
8.  The principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after section 16 thereof the following new section: —
“Annual retention fee
16A.—(1)  Subject to this section, a person who is registered under this Act shall on or before the 30th day of September in each year pay to the Medical Council such annual retention fee as may be prescribed by the Medical Council with the approval of the Minister for the year commencing on the 1st day of January next following.
(2)  If a person registered under this Act does not pay such annual retention fee as the Medical Council has prescribed on or before the 30th day of September in any year, the Medical Council shall forthwith notify him by letter addressed to his last known address that if the fee is not paid before the 30th day of November next following his name will be removed from the register.
(3)  If a person registered under this Act does not comply with the notification under subsection (2) of this section the Medical Council shall forthwith remove his name from the register.
(4)  If a person’s name is removed from the register under this section or under section 23 of this Act the Medical Council shall restore it —
(a)upon application by the person in the prescribed form where his name has been removed in pursuance of the provisions of this section or paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 22 of this Act and upon an order of the High Court where his name has been restored under section 24 of this Act; and
(b)upon payment of such restoration fee as may be prescribed.”.
Amendment of section 22
9.  Section 22 of the principal Act is hereby amended —
(a)by renumbering the existing section as subsection (1);
(b)by inserting immediately after the word “may” appearing in the first line of subsection (1) thereof the words “upon such evidence as it may require”;
(c)by deleting the full-stop appearing at the end of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) thereof and substituting therefor the expression “; or”;
(d)by inserting immediately after paragraph (e) of subsection (1) thereof the following new paragraphs: —
“(f)has been registered pursuant to an order made by the Minister under paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 9 of this Act and who has contravened or failed to comply with any conditions or restrictions imposed by such order; or
(g)has been registered under subsection (3) of section 9 of this Act and who has contravened or failed to comply with any conditions or restrictions imposed by the Medical Council; or
(h)has had his registration withdrawn, suspended or cancelled by the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom or by any other body which registered such person.”; and
(e)by inserting immediately after subsection (1) thereof the following new subsections: —
“(2)  Any name removed from the register pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section may be restored as provided for in paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section 16A of this Act.
(3)  Paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) of subsection (1) of this section shall apply to persons registered before the coming into operation of the Medical Registration (Amendment) Act, 1971 as it applies to persons registered after the coming into operation of that Act.”.
Amendment of section 23
10.  Section 23 of the principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after subsection (2) thereof the following new subsections: —
“(3)  Subject to this section, if any registered medical practitioner is guilty of infamous conduct in any professional respect the Medical Council may, instead of invoking the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, relating to the removal of a person’s name from the register, impose all or any of the following penalties on the offending person, namely, the Medical Council may —
(a)censure him;
(b)require him to give such undertaking as the Medical Council thinks fit to abstain in future from the conduct complained of; and
(c)suspend his registration either conditionally or absolutely for a period of not less than three months and not more than twelve months.
(4)  The suspension of the registration of any person whose registration has been suspended may at any time and for such reason as the Medical Council thinks fit, by order of the Medical Council be annulled and the effect of any such annulment shall be as the Medical Council determines.
(5)  While any order of suspension of registration under this section remains in force the person concerned shall not be regarded as being registered but forthwith on the expiry or annulment of such order, his rights and privileges as a registered medical practitioner shall be revived as from the date of such expiry or annulment.
(6)  Before suspending the registration of any person or taking any proceeding under subsection (3) of this section against any person the Medical Council shall —
(a)give to that person, by post by registered letter, addressed to the last known place of residence or business of that person at least fourteen days’ notice in writing of the complaint against him and of the day, time and place fixed for hearing the complaint; and
(b)hold full inquiry into the matter of the complaint and afford the said person an opportunity of giving an explanation personally or in writing.
(7)  The Medical Council may in any proceeding where any person is found guilty of infamous conduct in any professional respect make such order as to payment of costs of the proceedings as to it seems fit.
(8)  A person who has been suspended from registration pursuant to the provisions of this section shall have the right of appeal to the High Court against the order of suspension and on any such appeal the Court may make such order as it thinks proper having regard to the merits of the case and the public welfare.
(9)  Any such appeal shall be in the nature of a rehearing and shall be made in accordance with the Rules of Court.
(10)  An order of suspension shall not take effect until the expiration of a period of twenty-one days after notification by the Medical Council to the registered medical practitioner of the making of such order.
(11)  If within such period the registered medical practitioner gives due notice of appeal to the High Court such order shall not take effect unless the order is confirmed by the Court or the appeal is for any reason dismissed by that Court.
(12)  Unless the High Court otherwise orders, the period of suspension named in the order appealed from shall commence on the day when that order commences to have effect.”.
Amendment of section 27
11.  Section 27 of the principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after the words “armed forces” appearing in the first line thereof the words “or of any visiting forces lawfully present in Singapore”.
Savings
12.  Nothing in the provisions of the Medical Registration (Amendment) Act, 1971, shall affect the registration of any person who is registered or deemed to be registered under the principal Act immediately before the date of the coming into operation of the Medical Registration (Amendment) Act, 1971, and such person shall continue to be registered under the principal Act.
New Schedule
13.  The principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after section 31 thereof the following Schedule: —
“THE SCHEDULE
Part I
(Section 9).
Qualifications of Commonwealth Countries
Country, State or Province
 
Body Granting Qualifications (Including Medical College, where relevant)
 
 
 
Primary Qualifications
 
Periods excluded from Recognition
Australia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New South
 
University of New South Wales
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Wales
 
 
 
 
 
MB
 
 
 
 
University of Sydney
 
 
 
MB, ChM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Queensland
 
University of Queensland
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
South Australia
 
University of Adelaide
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
 
 
Flinders University, Adelaide
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
 
 
University of Melbourne
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Victoria
 
Monash University, Victoria
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Western
 
University of Western Australia
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Australia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Canada:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alberta
 
College of Physicians and Surgeons
 
 
 
Member
 
 
 
 
University of Alberta
 
 
 
MD
 
 
British
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Columbia
 
University of British Columbia
 
 
 
MD
 
 
Manitoba
 
College of Physicians and Surgeons
 
 
 
Member
 
 
 
 
University of Manitoba
 
 
 
MD
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MD, CM
 
 
Newfoundland
 
Medical Board
 
 
 
Licence
 
 
Nova Scotia
 
Medical Board
 
 
 
Licence
 
 
 
 
Dalhousie University
 
 
 
MD
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MD, CM
 
 
 
 
Halifax Medical College
 
 
 
MD, CM
 
 
Ontario
 
University of Ottawa
 
 
 
MD
 
 
Prince Edward
 
Medical Council
 
 
 
Licence
 
 
Island
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quebec
 
McGill University, Montreal
 
 
 
MD, CM
 
 
Saskatchewan
 
College of Physicians and Surgeons
 
 
 
Member
 
 
 
 
University of Saskatchewan
 
 
 
MD
 
 
Hong Kong
 
University of Hong Kong
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Malaysia
 
University of Malaya
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Malta
 
Royal University of Malta
 
 
 
MD
 
 
New Zealand
 
University of New Zealand
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
 
 
University of Otago
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
Singapore
 
King Edward VII College of Medicine, Singapore
 
 
 
LMS
 
 
 
 
University of Singapore
 
 
 
MB BS
 
 
Uganda
 
University of East Africa Makerere University College
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
 
 
Makerere University College
 
 
 
LMS (East Africa)
 
Before December 1953
United Kingdom
 
University of Birmingham
 
 
 
MB ChB Birm
 
 
 
 
University of Bristol
 
 
 
MB ChB Brist
 
 
 
 
University of Cambridge
 
 
 
MB BChir Camb
 
 
 
 
University of Durham
 
 
 
MB BS Durh
 
 
 
 
University of Leeds
 
 
 
MB ChB Leeds
 
 
 
 
University of Liverpool
 
 
 
MB ChB Lpool
 
 
 
 
University of London
 
 
 
MB BS Lond
 
 
 
 
University of Manchester
 
 
 
MB ChB Manc
 
 
 
 
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
 
 
 
MB BS Ncle
 
 
 
 
University of Oxford
 
 
 
BM BCh Oxfd
 
 
 
 
University of Sheffield
 
 
 
MB ChB Sheff
 
 
 
 
University of Wales
 
 
 
MB BCh Wales
 
 
 
 
University of Aberdeen
 
 
 
MB ChB Aberd
 
 
 
 
University of Dundee
 
 
 
MB ChB Dund
 
 
 
 
University of Edinburgh
 
 
 
MB ChB Edin
 
 
 
 
University of Glasgow
 
 
 
MB ChB Glasg
 
 
 
 
University of St. Andrews
 
 
 
MD ChB St. And
 
 
 
 
Queen’s University of Belfast
 
 
 
MB BCh Belf
 
 
 
 
Royal College of Physicians of
 
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
London
 
)
 
MRCS Eng
 
 
 
 
Royal College of Surgeons of
 
)
 
LRCP Lond
 
 
 
 
England
 
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Society of Apothecaries of
 
 
 
LMSSA Lond
 
 
 
 
London
 
 
 
LSA Lond
 
 
 
 
Royal College of Physicians of
 
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edinburgh
 
)
 
LRCP Edin
 
 
 
 
Royal College of Surgeons of
 
)
 
LRCS Edin
 
 
 
 
Edinburgh
 
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Royal College of Physicians and
 
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Surgeons of Glasgow
 
)
 
LRCPS Glasg
 
 
Part II
Qualifications of Countries, Other Than Commonwealth Countries
Country, State or Province
 
Body Granting Qualifications ( Including Medical College, where relevant)
 
 
 
Primary Qualifications
France
 
Faculte de Medecine de 1’ Universite de Paris, Paris
 
 
 
MD
Germany
 
Medizinische Fakultat der Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universitat, Frankfurt-am-Main
 
 
 
MD
Japan
 
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo
 
 
 
MB
Netherlands
 
Faculteit der Geneeskunde Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam
 
 
 
MD
Philippines
 
College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila
 
 
 
MD
Republic of Ireland
 
Royal College of Physicians of
 
)
 
 
 
 
Ireland
 
)
 
LLMRCP Irel
 
 
Royal College of Surgeons in
 
)
 
LLMRCS Irel
 
 
Ireland
 
)
 
 
 
 
Apothecaries’ Hall of Dublin
 
 
 
LAH Dubl
 
 
National University of Ireland
 
 
 
MB BCh
 
 
University of Dublin
 
 
 
MB BCh Dubl
 
 
 
 
 
 
L Med, L Ch Dubl
South Africa
 
University of Cape Town
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
University of Natal
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
University of Pretoria
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
University of Stellenbosch
 
 
 
MB ChB
 
 
University of the Witwatersrand
 
 
 
MB BCh
U.S.A.
 
University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles
 
 
 
MD
 
 
University of Chicago School of Medicine Chicago
 
 
 
MD
 
 
University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor
 
 
 
MD
 
 
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York
 
 
 
MD
 
 
University of Texas School of Medicine, Galveston
 
 
 
MD
”.
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