The Clinical Governance Officer answers for the clinical quality of an outpatient medical service. For OMS the CGO must live in Singapore, hold full SMC registration and a valid practising certificate, and be a registered family physician or specialist, or have practised full time for 5 years within 10.
Who qualifies
MOH's page for the Outpatient Medical Service lists the criteria. The CGO must be in good standing, reside in Singapore, hold full registration with the Singapore Medical Council and a valid practising certificate, and be a registered family physician or specialist, or have 5 years of full-time practice within 10 years. For remote services the CGO also completes MOH's telemedicine e-training.1 The regulations add the detail.2
The CGO is one of the Key Office Holders, alongside the Principal Officer, and a code of practice for Key Office Holders applies.3
- Review a sample of notes. Every month, a few from each clinician, with comments.
- Read the reports. Response times, complaints and follow-up, weekly.
- Act on what they find. Each issue gets a change, an owner and a date.
- Record it. Minutes or a log, so oversight can be shown.
- Month ______ Notes reviewed ______
- Themes found ______
- Complaints and follow-up reviewed ______
- Actions, owner and date ______
Questions
Does every clinic need a CGO?
An outpatient medical service needs one, meeting MOH's criteria.
Can the CGO be the Principal Officer?
Check the code of practice for Key Office Holders and the OMS regulations for your setup, and confirm with MOH or HSA.
What changes for remote services?
The CGO completes MOH's telemedicine e-training.
Sources
- 1MOH, HCSA, 2026Outpatient Medical ServiceRead source
- 2MOH, HCSA, 2026Outpatient Medical Service regulationsRead source
- 3MOH, HCSA, 2026Summary of requirements for licenseesRead source
Written by the wai team from Healthcare Services Act licensing, Singapore guidance, checked on 15 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. HCSA does not endorse wai or any software.