SINGAPORE MEDICAL COUNCIL v DR LING CHIA TIEN

Case Significance

In Singapore Medical Council v Ling Chia Tien [2024] SGHC 283, decided on 6 November 2024, the Court of Three Judges of the General Division of the High Court heard Originating Application No 1 of 2024, with Tay Yong Kwang JCA, Belinda Ang Saw Ean JCA and Judith Prakash SJ sitting and Belinda Ang Saw Ean JCA delivering the grounds of decision. The appeal was brought by the Singapore Medical Council against the decision of a disciplinary tribunal concerning the respondent, Dr Ling Chia Tien, who had faced 32 charges. The disciplinary tribunal found that 29 of the 32 charges were made out and imposed a term of 19 months' suspension. On appeal, which was on sentence alone, the Singapore Medical Council sought a suspension of 36 months on its primary case, with a fallback position of 30 months. After the hearing on 4 July 2024, the court dismissed the appeal, holding that a 19-month suspension was not manifestly inadequate and that the disciplinary tribunal's sanction was not disproportionate or out of line with relevant precedents, observing that the Council had significantly overstated its primary case.