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Orthopaedic surgeon suspended 18 months in interim move to protect public

2023-09-08 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE – Orthopaedic surgeon Leslie Ng Chong Lich has been suspended from practice for 18 months from Aug 28 in a move that is an interim measure to protect the public, and not a form of punishment.

The Singapore Medical Council (SMC), which oversees the medical profession here, published on its website an announcement by the Interim Orders Committee (IOC) last Wednesday. No details of Dr Ng’s behaviour that resulted in the suspension were provided.

An IOC is usually convened to look into any action that might need to be taken before a disciplinary hearing is concluded, or even before one is initiated.

The statement said that upon inquiry into the information referred to the IOC by the SMC, and after considering the submissions by counsel for the SMC and Dr Ng, the committee found that “it is necessary for the protection of members of the public and in the public interest that Dr Ng’s registration be suspended for 18 months with immediate effect” from Aug 28.

Dr Ng is with the Island Orthopaedics group, which lists eight doctors, including Dr Ng. It has clinics in Mount Alvernia Medical Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre and Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre. The clinic group did not respond to e-mail and phone queries from The Straits Times.

Under the Medical Registration Act referenced by the IOC, it has the power to impose conditions on doctors, or to suspend a doctor for a period not exceeding 18 months. The order has to be reviewed within six months, with further reviews within three-month intervals.

Dr Ng is the 12th doctor since 2017 subjected to interim measures.

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In most cases, the IOC would impose conditions for the doctor to continue practising, such as being in the presence of a chaperone when seeing female patients, or not being allowed to prescribe certain drugs.

This is only the second time that an IOC has suspended a doctor pending the conclusion of a full disciplinary hearing.

The other case involved Dr Jipson Quah, who was suspended on March 23, 2022, for 18 months, or till the conclusion of a disciplinary hearing, whichever is earlier.

Among other things, he has been accused of giving saline solution to 15 people in place of the Covid-19 vaccine, then reporting to the National Immunisation Registry that they had been vaccinated.

His period of suspension will be up later in September. There has been no announcement of any disciplinary hearing against him.

The Act allows the SMC to apply to the High Court for a 12-month extension of the IOC order. Dr Quah has informed The Straits Times that the SMC has applied to the High Court to do so. The hearing is on Thursday.