On 24 February 2017, the Singapore Medical Council (“SMC”) received information that a registered medical practitioner, Dr Wee Teong Boo (“Dr Wee”), had been charged in the State Courts with raping a female patient and molesting her (“the Charges”) at his clinic, Wee’s Clinic & Surgery, in 2015. 

While recognising that Dr Wee had not been convicted of the Charges and should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, the SMC also considered the seriousness of the Charges against Dr Wee and the need to protect members of the public while criminal proceedings against Dr Wee were ongoing. The information on the Charges was therefore referred to an Interim Orders Committee (“the IOC”) for the purpose of determining if it was necessary for the protection of members of the public or was otherwise in the public interest, or was in the interests of Dr Wee, that his registration be suspended or be made subject to conditions or restrictions. 

On 22 April 2017, the IOC, upon due inquiry into the information referred to it by the SMC and after considering the arguments by Counsel for Dr Wee and Counsel for the SMC, made an order under section 59B(1)(b) of the Medical Registration Act that Dr Wee’s registration be conditional on his compliance, during a period of 18 months, with the following conditions and restrictions:

(a)  Dr Wee shall not undertake any consultations of female patients without a chaperone present. The chaperone must be a female fully registered medical practitioner in Singapore (the “female chaperone”);

(b)  In respect of female patients, Dr Wee shall not conduct any examination of the breast, pelvic, genital or anal areas. Such examinations shall be carried out by the aforesaid female chaperone;

(c)  The above shall not apply in situations which are life-threatening emergencies;

(d)  The female chaperone shall maintain a log detailing every case where she is involved as a chaperone, which shall be signed and dated by the chaperone. Such log shall also certify that the consultation and/or any examination was performed in accordance with professional standards. If such professional standards are not complied with, such deviation shall be recorded. The log is to be submitted to the SMC every two weeks, or in the event of non-compliance, such incident shall be reported promptly to the SMC;

(e)  The order shall be reviewed by the IOC or another IOC appointed in its place after six (6) months;

(f)   Dr Wee shall comply with these conditions and restrictions from 1 May 2017;

(g)  The order shall take effect from the day the order was made; and

(h)  Parties have liberty to apply.