Highlights from the Honorary Secretary

Continued advocacy on HIB

The proposed Health Information Bill (HIB) mandates the contribution of data to the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR).

SMA has been meeting with and providing feedback to Ministry of Health (MOH) officials regarding the proposed law and the Cyber and Data Security (CSDS) Guidelines. Together with the Academy of Medicine, Singapore and the College of Family Physicians Singapore, SMA provided feedback in writing on 22 May 2025 and 13 October 2025, and we also met with MOH on two occasions to discuss these matters, on 2 July 2025 and 30 October 2025.

SMA's key concerns include the following:

• Many of the CSDS requirements require the support of a white-listed vendor. Simplification of the CSDS Guidelines is key to reducing the burden and cost of implementation.
• If recurring costs are not supported, they may have to be passed on to patients. These costs may be significant for low-volume clinics.

• It is critical to come up with a plan to support legacy clinics which are not computerised.

SMA will continue to advocate for CSDS Guidelines that clinics will be better able to fulfil.

Family medicine recognised as medical specialty

From 1 November 2025, the Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB) will start receiving grandfathering applications for specialist accreditation for family medicine.

For more details, please read the SAB announcement available at: https://bit.ly/494AKmz.

Modification of licence conditions for remote provision of OMS

MOH issued a circular on 10 October 2025 highlighting additional requirements relating to remote service kiosks. Licensees who are providing outpatient medical services (OMS) via remote provision should take note of the changes.

Please read the MOH circular, and the Annex, in full at the following link: https://bit.ly/4ot0TQN.

SMA acquires office space at Paya Lebar Square

The SMA Secretariat office, which supports the needs of close to 12,000 SMA Members, has never had a stable office location. We have always rented, and the instability of this situation is reflected in our needing to relocate twice in the last ten years. We are currently unsure whether we can remain in our present location beyond another two to three years, subject to lease renewal.

Therefore, we are pleased to inform Members that SMA has acquired two adjacent office units at Paya Lebar Square (60 Paya Lebar Road), with the purchase completed on 27 October 2025 under SMA Pte Ltd. Part of a mixed-use development next to Paya Lebar MRT station these units are currently leased to a single tenant. We plan to continue with the current arrangement until it no longer makes financial sense to do so, or until we can no longer economically rent office space for our own use.

More details will be available at the next Annual General Meeting. We thank Members for your continued support as SMA works to sustain and strengthen our ability to serve the profession.