Surgeon Susan Lim to appeal 3-year suspension

UPDATED Friday 24 August, 1252am

Beleaguered surgeon Susan Lim will appeal her three-year suspension from practice handed down by a  Singapore Medical Council (SMC) ruling.

“We have filed an appeal... and we will present our submissions to the Court as to the errors of law and errors of fact committed by the Disciplinary Committee in reaching its decision," said a statement from Susan Lim's lawyer which was obtained by Yahoo! Singapore.

Lim is represented by Lee Eng Beng of Rajah & Tann.

The Straits Times reported on Thursday that the SMC found Dr Lim guilty of all 94 charges of professional misconduct brought against her last year by the Health Ministry (MOH), which included marking up third-party medical bills by as much as 500 times their original amounts for Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit, sister to the Brunei queen.

Dr Lim will also be fined $10,000 and has been warned not to overcharge again.

However, her appeal will argue that Singapore currently has no guidelines on maximum fees that can be charged, as well as that fees are agreed upon between a doctor and his or her patient.

She will also argue that her patients come from all walks of life and that she has never been the subject of disciplinary proceedings apart from this instance.

As part of her appeal against the SMC’s judgement, she will reportedly be seeking to not only have her suspension, fine and censure rescinded, but also for the court to declare that she does not have to bear the costs of hearings.

Pending the outcome of her appeal which will be known next January, Dr Lim will continue to practise.