Court of Appeal extends suspension of HC Surgical’s Julian Ong to two years

COLORECTAL surgeon Dr Julian Ong, who was earlier suspended for eight months over professional misconduct, has had his suspension extended to two years.

HC Surgical Specialists – which has a majority stake in Dr Ong’s Julian Ong Endoscopy & Surgery – said the doctor had informed the board of the news on Friday (Dec 2), after the judgment had been delivered.

HC Surgical said the extended suspension is not expected to have any material impact on group earnings for the current financial year ending May 31, 2023 as Dr Ong’s clinic has been making losses.

For the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022, Dr Ong’s company contributed about 4.7 per cent to the group’s revenue and none to the group’s profit to shareholders, as it had incurred a loss of about S$14,000. HC Surgical added that it had already made goodwill impairments amounting to about S$1.5 million in the previous financial years, out of the total goodwill of S$2.1 million. 

The doctor – and HC Surgical – made headlines after a woman complained to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) in June 2018 that he and Dr Chan Herng Nieng, a psychiatrist, had taken advantage of vulnerable female patients and colleagues.

SMC’s disciplinary tribunal had suspended Dr Ong for eight months. Among other things, the tribunal said he had failed to treat his patient with due courtesy when he introduced his patient to another doctor so that the other doctor could engage in sexual activity with her. Messages between Dr Ong and the other doctor, Dr Chan, also demonstrated the two had a “continuing intention” to introduce to each other women who might be willing sexual partners.

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Dr Ong had lodged an appeal to have his suspension period reduced, but the court found that the tribunal had not erred in its finding that both doctors were guilty of improper conduct that brought disrepute to the medical profession.

Given the level of harm resulting from Dr Ong’s conduct and the degree of culpability, however, the court found the tribunal’s sentence inadequate. His appeal was thus dismissed, and his suspension extended.

Dr Ong’s patients will be transferred to five other general surgeons under HC Surgical while he serves out his suspension notice, the company said in a bourse filing.

In January last year, HC Surgical said it would be acquiring the remaining 30 per cent stake in Julian Ong Endoscopy & Surgery. The acquisition was, however, conditional upon the outcome of the investigation by the SMC’s disciplinary tribunal on a complaint lodged against Dr Ong.

Shares of HC Surgical : 1B1 0% were trading flat at S$0.34 as at 3.22 pm on Friday after the announcement.