Doctors fined for practising medicine without valid certificates

SINGAPORE: Two doctors were on Thursday fined for practising without valid certificates.

Ng Hor Liang, 45, admitted to one count of practising medicine at Bukit Batok West Clinic in January 2012 without a valid certificate.

He also pleaded guilty to fraudulently declaring in January last year to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) that he was not diagnosing and treating patients when he did.

A third similar charge was taken into consideration.

For these, Ng was fined a total of S$12,000.

Separately, Gladys Wong Mei Ling, 48, admitted to fraudulent declaration in January last year (2012) that she was not involved in any clinical practice when in fact she was.

The mother—of—seven had done so at Healthpoint Family Clinic and Surgery at Tanglin Halt without a valid practising certificate.

For this, Wong was fined S$4,000.

The prosecution said it is the first time such a case has happened and asked for a fine.

To renew their practising certificates, each doctor needed 50 continuing medical education points, which can be accumulated over two consecutive years.

In both cases, the two doctors did not accumulate the required number of points and when they realised this, they tried to make up for the shortfall.

But in submitting their letters of undertaking to the SMC, Ng and Wong declared that they had not been practising, which was false.

Both doctors have since renewed their practising certificates and are treating patients.

— CNA/xq