12 Clinics May Be Fined For Letting Foreign Doctor Work Without Valid Pass
To work in Singapore as a foreigner, you have to have the right work pass and ensure that you have the proper approval to be at your workplace.
However, a foreign doctor allegedly worked at various clinics without the right work pass.
The 12 clinics were charged in court today (29 Jul), Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports.
They can be fined up to $20,000 for each charge if found guilty.
12 clinics allegedly allow foreign doctor to work without valid pass
12 clinics are accused of allowing Dr Queck Kian Kheng to work at their clinics between Dec 2011 and May 2019 without a valid work pass.
Dr Queck is a neurology specialist with a clinic at Mount Alvernia Hospital.
According to CNA, the 12 clinics that were charged are as follows:
- Pacific Family Clinic
- My Family Clinic (Tanglin Halt)
- My Family Clinic (Rivervale)
- My Family Clinic (Hougang Central)
- Prohealth Medical Group @ LRT Fernvale
- Silver Cross Healthcare
- I-Health
- Healthway Medical Group
- Health 2.0
- CMI Lifemed
- CMI Health Services
- Avermed
It wasn’t stated as to which clinics under Healthway Medical Group and Health 2.0 he worked at.
He allegedly worked “hundreds of occasions” at the clinics without a valid work pass, although CNA didn’t specify the exact amount at each clinic.
The clinics were given between 2 to 8 charges each.
Doctor is registered as specialist in SMC
Dr Queck is registered in the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) as a specialist in neurology as of 2016.
He submitted a provisional registration in 2009, before a full registration in 2014.
His primary place of practice is his own clinic, KK Queck Neurology Centre, at Mount Alvernia Hospital.
According to SmarterHealth, he holds a degree in medicine from the University of Malaya in Malaysia, and membership with the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) in the United Kingdom.
He was a consultant neurologist at the National Neuroscience Centre as well as Sengkang General Hospital between 2016-2019.
Clinics may be fined up to $20,000 per charge
A foreign doctor has to have a valid Employment Pass (EP) with a healthcare provider to work here.
It may be the case that he is allowed to work as a doctor here given his registration with the SMC, but not necessarily at the clinics under the terms of his EP.
It is also unclear as to whether Dr Queck will be charged as well presently.
The clinics may be fined up to $20,000 per charge under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, CNA reports.
Both employers and employees must ensure that they’re legally allowed to work and hold the right work pass. Otherwise, they’ll certainly get in trouble with the law.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
