Question 1

“How living in poverty can affect health in the elderly” by Kirsten Sheldrake, Austin American-Statesman, 2 August 2021.

That older persons are more likely to slip into poverty is a public health concern. Evaluate this statement in relation to policies the Singapore government has adopted to address elderly poverty with the view of enabling access to affordable healthcare for this group.

Question 2

In 2019, the BMJ published an article on how a prominent doctor was struck off the medical register after over-charging a client (see “News: Singaporean Surgeon who tried to Charge £8m for Cancer Treatment is Removed from Medical Register,” Dyer 2019, The BMJ, 365 (2019): l1982). In this sensational case, Dr. Susan Lim Mey Lee was suspended from practicing medicine for three years by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

• Based on the case of Dr. Susan Lim Mey Lee, critique the role of the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) in circumscribing the professional autonomy of doctors in Singapore. In your essay, discuss the reasons that led to the SMC’s decision to remove her from the medical register.
• Sociologists have suggested that medical dominance has declined in recent decades. Based on the course materials, examine the reasons for this trend.