Professional Standards
The Sri Lanka Medical Council sets and upholds professional standards for all registered medical and dental practitioners, ensuring patient safety, ethical practice, and public trust.
Ethics
Overview
The Sri Lanka Medical Council provides ethical guidance to ensure that all medical and dental practitioners maintain the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and respect for patients.
These guidelines reflect the long-standing traditions of the medical profession and are intended to guide practitioners in their professional conduct, decision-making, and relationships with patients, colleagues, and society.
The ethical standards followed in Sri Lanka are based on internationally accepted principles such as the Hippocratic Oath and the Declaration of Geneva, which emphasise service to humanity, patient welfare, and professional integrity.
Core Ethical Principles
Medical and dental practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council are expected to uphold the following principles:
Service to Humanity
The primary duty of a doctor is to serve humanity. Patient welfare must always take precedence over personal or financial interests.
Respect for Human Dignity
Doctors must treat all patients with dignity, compassion, and respect, regardless of their social, cultural, religious, or economic background.
Honesty and Integrity
Medical practitioners must act with honesty and maintain the highest standards of professional integrity in all aspects of their work.
Confidentiality
Doctors must respect the confidentiality of patient information and safeguard sensitive information obtained during professional practice.
Professional Competence
Practitioners must maintain and update their professional knowledge and skills throughout their careers to ensure safe and effective patient care.
Professional Conduct & Misconduct
The SLMC expects all practitioners to follow the principles of Good Medical Practice, which include:
Doctors must:
- Assess patients carefully
- Provide appropriate investigations and treatment
- Refer patients when specialist care is required
- Maintain accurate medical records
Doctors must:
- Keep knowledge and skills up to date
- Participate in continuing professional development
- Practise within the limits of competence
Effective healthcare requires a relationship based on:
- Trust
- Open communication
- Respect for patient autonomy
- Shared decision-making
Doctors must act promptly if they believe patient safety is at risk due to:
- Inadequate facilities
- Unsafe systems
- Poor professional conduct of colleagues
Medical practitioners must conduct themselves in a manner that preserves the dignity and reputation of the profession.
- Maintaining respectful relationships with colleagues
- Avoiding conflicts of interest
- Charging reasonable professional fees
- Avoiding misleading advertising or self-promotion
- Ensuring transparency in financial dealings with patients
Informed Consent
Doctors must obtain informed consent before performing:
- Medical examinations
- Investigations
- Medical or surgical treatments
- Research involving patients
Patients must be given clear and understandable information about risks, benefits, and alternatives before consenting.
Confidentiality
Information about a patient's health must be kept confidential unless disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect the public interest.
Doctors involved in medical research must ensure that:
- The rights and welfare of participants are protected
- Ethical approval is obtained before research begins
- Conflicts of interest are declared
- Research results are reported honestly and transparently
The Sri Lanka Medical Council has the authority to investigate complaints regarding:
- Professional misconduct
- Criminal convictions
- Incompetent or deficient professional performance
- Physical or mental incapacity affecting professional practice
Where appropriate, the Council may impose disciplinary measures, including suspension or removal from the register.
All practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council must:
- Make patient care their first priority
- Treat patients politely and respectfully
- Respect confidentiality
- Maintain professional competence
- Act honestly and responsibly
- Work collaboratively with colleagues to provide safe care
Serious Professional Misconduct
The Sri Lanka Medical Council is responsible for protecting the public by ensuring that medical and dental practitioners maintain high professional standards.
Serious professional misconduct refers to behaviour by a practitioner that is considered disgraceful, dishonourable, or unacceptable by the standards of the medical profession. If such conduct is proven, the Sri Lanka Medical Council may take disciplinary action against the practitioner.
Main Categories of Serious Professional Misconduct
Serious professional misconduct may arise in several areas of professional or personal behaviour.
Doctors must provide an appropriate standard of care to their patients. Misconduct may arise if a practitioner:
- Fails to properly assess a patient's condition
- Neglects to provide necessary treatment or arrange appropriate care
- Fails to respond promptly to a medical emergency
- Continues to practise in a field without adequate training or competence
- Delegates medical duties to unqualified persons
Doctors must also ensure that patients provide informed consent before examinations or treatments are carried out.
Doctors are granted special privileges in society, such as prescribing medicines and issuing medical certificates. Misuse of these privileges may constitute misconduct, including:
- Prescribing drugs improperly or outside legitimate treatment
- Issuing false or misleading medical certificates
- Breaching patient confidentiality
- Exploiting the trust placed in doctors by patients
Improper personal relationships with patients or their families may also be considered a breach of professional trust.
Medical practitioners are expected to maintain high standards of personal conduct at all times. Serious misconduct may include:
- Criminal offences involving dishonesty such as fraud, theft, or forgery
- Misuse of alcohol or drugs affecting professional duties
- Behaviour that damages the reputation of the profession
- Violent or indecent conduct
Even conduct outside professional practice may lead to disciplinary action if it undermines public confidence in the profession.
Doctors must not advertise their services in a way that:
- Claims superiority over other practitioners
- Misleads the public about qualifications or outcomes
- Exploits the vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge of patients
Information about services should be factual and not promotional. Improper advertising or publicity intended to attract patients may be considered professional misconduct.
Professional relationships between doctors must be based on respect and integrity. Misconduct may include:
- Making unjustified or malicious criticism of other doctors
- Attempting to obtain patients through canvassing or agents
- Arranging improper financial agreements to increase patient referrals
Such actions may damage trust within the medical profession and undermine patient care.
Any act or omission that is considered unacceptable by professional standards may constitute misconduct. Examples include:
- Financial conflicts of interest affecting patient care
- Improper financial arrangements such as fee splitting
- Prescribing drugs or medical products for personal financial gain
- Failure to disclose conflicts of interest
Disciplinary Action
If a complaint is made regarding serious professional misconduct, the Sri Lanka Medical Council may investigate the matter.
Following investigation and disciplinary proceedings, the Council may impose sanctions including:
- A warning or reprimand
- Suspension of registration
- Cancellation of registration
- Other appropriate disciplinary measures
These actions are taken to maintain professional standards and protect the public.
Maintaining Public Trust
Medical practitioners are expected to uphold the dignity and honour of the profession. Patients place great trust in doctors, and the maintenance of this trust is essential for the proper functioning of healthcare.
All practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council must therefore ensure that their conduct reflects the highest standards of professional responsibility.
Examples of Serious Professional Misconduct
Real-life scenarios doctors must avoid
The Sri Lanka Medical Council receives complaints relating to professional conduct. The examples below illustrate situations that may constitute serious professional misconduct.
These examples are provided for educational purposes to help practitioners understand their professional responsibilities.
A doctor examines a patient with severe chest pain but fails to conduct proper investigations or refer the patient to a hospital. The patient later suffers a major cardiac event.
Why is this misconduct
Doctors are expected to provide adequate assessment, investigation and treatment, and to refer patients when necessary.
Failure to provide appropriate care may be considered neglect of professional duty.
A doctor performs an invasive procedure without explaining the risks or obtaining consent from the patient.
Why is this misconduct
Patients have the right to make informed decisions about their treatment. Consent must be obtained before examinations, procedures, or treatment.
Performing procedures without valid consent may constitute serious misconduct.
A doctor provides a medical certificate to a patient who was never examined in order to help them obtain leave from work.
Why is this misconduct
Medical certificates are legal documents. Issuing false or misleading certificates is considered dishonest professional conduct.
A doctor discusses a patient's medical condition with friends or on social media without the patient's consent.
Why is this misconduct
Doctors must protect confidential medical information. Disclosure without justification may be considered professional misconduct.
A doctor develops an intimate relationship with a patient while providing medical care.
Why is this misconduct
Doctors hold positions of trust and authority. Exploiting this trust for personal relationships is a serious breach of professional ethics.
A doctor receives money from a diagnostic centre for referring patients for investigations.
Why is this misconduct
Financial incentives that influence clinical decisions are unethical and may compromise patient care.
Such practices may be considered conflicts of interest or fee splitting.
A doctor performs specialised procedures without the necessary training or experience.
Why is this misconduct
Doctors must practice within the limits of their competence and refer patients to appropriate specialists when necessary.
A doctor prescribes controlled drugs to friends or family members without medical justification.
Why is this misconduct
Prescribing medicines without legitimate clinical reasons is considered abuse of professional privileges.
A doctor advertises in the media claiming to be the "best specialist" or guaranteeing cure for certain diseases.
Why is this misconduct
Medical advertising must be factual and not misleading. Claims of superiority or guaranteed results are considered unethical.
A doctor verbally abuses a patient or behaves aggressively during a consultation.
Why is this misconduct
Doctors must treat patients with dignity, compassion and respect at all times.
Protecting Patients and Maintaining Trust
The medical profession relies on public trust. Practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council must ensure that their professional and personal conduct reflects the highest ethical standards.
The Council investigates complaints relating to serious professional misconduct and may take disciplinary action where appropriate.
Scope of Practice
The scope of practice defines the range of activities that a healthcare professional is educated, trained, and competent to perform. It ensures that patients receive safe, effective, and appropriate care from qualified practitioners.
All practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council must practice within the limits of their knowledge, skills, training, and experience.
Practice Within Competence
Healthcare professionals must only undertake procedures and responsibilities for which they are adequately trained and experienced. When a case exceeds their competence, they must seek advice or refer the patient to an appropriate specialist.
Patient Safety First
The primary responsibility of every practitioner is to ensure patient safety. Practising beyond one's competence or without proper supervision may place patients at risk and may constitute professional misconduct.
Maintain and Update Skills
Practitioners must engage in continuous professional development (CPD) to maintain and improve their knowledge and skills in line with current medical practice.
Appropriate Delegation
Doctors may delegate certain tasks to other healthcare professionals, provided the person is suitably qualified and competent, adequate supervision is provided, and the doctor retains overall responsibility for patient care.
Legal and Ethical Responsibility
Practitioners must comply with applicable laws and regulations and the professional and ethical standards set by the Sri Lanka Medical Council. Failure to practise within the defined scope may lead to disciplinary action.
A clearly defined scope of practice:
- Protects patients from unsafe or inappropriate care
- Maintains professional standards
- Promotes accountability among healthcare professionals
- Supports effective teamwork within the healthcare system
Important Note: Practising outside one's scope — such as performing procedures without adequate training or experience — may be considered serious professional misconduct and may result in action by the Sri Lanka Medical Council.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to the ongoing process by which healthcare professionals maintain, update, and enhance their knowledge, skills, and professional performance throughout their careers.
CPD ensures that practitioners remain competent and provide care that is safe, effective, and aligned with current medical standards.
CPD is essential to:
CPD activities may include:
- Participation in workshops, seminars, and conferences
- Clinical training and hands-on skill development
- Academic teaching and research activities
- Self-directed learning and online courses
- Audit, reflection, and quality improvement activities
All practitioners registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council are expected to:
- Engage regularly in CPD activities
- Maintain records of their learning and development
- Apply new knowledge and skills to improve patient care
Supporting Safe Practice: CPD is a key component of safe medical practice. Failure to maintain competence and keep knowledge up to date may affect the quality of care and could raise concerns regarding professional performance.
Disciplinary Process
The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) is responsible for maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics among registered medical practitioners. The disciplinary process provides a fair, transparent, and impartial mechanism for investigating complaints relating to professional misconduct, negligence, incapacity, or other matters concerning professional practice.
When a complaint is received, it undergoes an initial assessment before being referred to the appropriate committees established under the Medical Ordinance. The Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) conducts a preliminary inquiry, after which the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) determines whether a formal inquiry is necessary.
If a formal inquiry is held, both the complainant and the practitioner are given an opportunity to present evidence. Following the inquiry, the Professional Conduct Committee reaches a decision based on the evidence presented and makes its findings in accordance with the applicable legal provisions. Where applicable, decisions of the Council may be subject to appeal as provided under the Medical Ordinance.
The disciplinary process is designed to:
A complaint against a registered
medical practitioner should be submitted to the Registrar of the Sri Lanka Medical
Council.
To initiate the disciplinary process:
Stages of the Disciplinary Process
The disciplinary process is designed to ensure that every complaint is handled fairly, impartially, and in accordance with the Medical Ordinance and applicable Regulations.
Complaint Received
A written complaint is submitted to the Registrar of the Sri Lanka Medical Council. Where required, the complaint must be supported by an affidavit setting out the facts and allegations.
Referral to the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC)
The President of the SLMC may direct the Registrar to refer the complaint to the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) for initial consideration.
Practitioner Notified
The practitioner is informed of the complaint, provided with copies of the relevant documents, and invited to submit a written explanation within the prescribed period.
Preliminary Inquiry
The PPC conducts a preliminary inquiry, which may include examining documents, obtaining oral or written evidence, and hearing witnesses under oath where necessary.
PPC Report
Following the inquiry, the PPC prepares a report with its findings and recommendations and submits it to the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC).
Decision to Hold an Inquiry
The Professional Conduct Committee reviews the PPC report and decides whether there is sufficient basis to proceed with a formal disciplinary inquiry.
Formal Inquiry
If an inquiry is warranted, the practitioner receives a formal Notice of Inquiry specifying the charges. Both parties are given the opportunity to present evidence, examine witnesses, and make submissions.
Decision of the Professional Conduct Committee
After considering all evidence, the PCC determines whether the charges have been proved. Where appropriate, reasons for the decision are recorded.
Implementation of the Decision
The Professional Conduct Committee communicates its decision to the Sri Lanka Medical Council, which directs the Registrar to give effect to the decision in accordance with the Medical Ordinance.
Right of Appeal
A practitioner may appeal the decision to the Minister of Health in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Medical Ordinance.
What the SLMC Can Do After an Inquiry
After completing a formal disciplinary inquiry, if a practitioner is found guilty of professional misconduct, the SLMC may impose one or more of the following:
What SLMC Can Do
What SLMC Cannot Do
The Sri Lanka Medical Council is committed to ensuring that:
- All complaints are treated seriously
- Both complainants and practitioners are treated fairly
- Decisions are made impartially and based on evidence
- The process maintains public trust in the medical profession
Important Note: The disciplinary process is not intended to punish practitioners unfairly, but to ensure that professional standards are upheld and that patients receive safe and ethical care.