SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Health (MOH) has revoked a doctor’s licence to provide outpatient medical services, while the clinic where he practised had its accreditation for several schemes terminated as well, the ministry said on May 8.
This comes after general practitioner Maninder Singh Shahi, 61, was found guilty of 14 charges of professional misconduct by the Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) disciplinary tribunal. He had already been suspended in January.
The charges related to the inappropriate prescription of medication to treat insomnia and anxiety, not referring patients in a timely manner to a psychiatrist or medical specialist, and not maintaining sufficient details in his patients’ medical records, MOH said.
With his licence revoked from May 8, Dr Singh can no longer operate 81 Family Clinic, located at 86 Marine Parade Central, the ministry said. He is also not allowed to treat patients at their homes and to provide telehealth services under the business name Legacy Clinic – services he had applied to provide under the same licence.
This is the first time MOH has revoked a medical practitioner’s licence to provide outpatient medical services granted under the Healthcare Services Act 2020.
MOH also revoked Dr Singh’s MediSave accreditation as an approved medical practitioner and the clinic’s MediSave accreditation. The clinic’s Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas), Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) scheme and Healthier SG participation were terminated as well.
This means that from May 8, the clinic cannot make claims on behalf of patients under Chas or PHPC.
It also can no longer enrol new residents and provide benefits to Healthier SG enrollees under its care. The clinic’s patients also cannot use MediSave to pay for the treatment and services they receive at the clinic.
SMC suspended Dr Singh from practising for three years from Jan 8, after its disciplinary tribunal found that he had improperly prescribed long-term sedative medication to patients, some for more than a decade.
Some of his patients also grew dependent on the medication, including sleeping pills.
The doctor, who had been practising as a family doctor in the East Coast or Marine Parade area for the past 35 years, did not refer most of these patients to a psychiatrist or specialist for treatment.
He pleaded guilty to the 14 charges in relation to his actions from 2002 to 2016.
“Given the disciplinary tribunal’s decision, MOH has assessed that Dr Maninder is no longer a suitable person to be holding a licence to provide outpatient medical services,” MOH said.
