The Ministry of Health ( MOH) announced on May 8 that a general practitioner had had his license to provide outpatient medical services revoked.
The MOH withdrawal under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 was the first of its kind.  ,
After it was discovered that Dr. Maninder Singh Shahi had been using sedatives on seven patients for more than a decade and that they had become dependent on the drugs, the Singapore Medical Council ( SMC) in January suspended him for three years.
Additionally, he failed to keep enough information in patients ‘ medical records and failed to refer the majority of his patients to a psychiatrist or specialist for further management in a timely manner.
MOH stated on Wednesday that it determined that Dr. Maninder is no longer a suitable person with a license to give outpatient health services as a result of his expulsion by the SMC.
A former home physician with 35 years of experience, Dr Maninder practised at 81 Home Clinic located in Marine Parade Central, which has since been renamed Legacy Clinic.
Dr. Maninder is unable to continue operating his center because of his lack of a valid license to offer inpatient health care. Additionally, he is prohibited from using telemedicine services or treating people at their homes.
FIRST REVOCATION UNDER NEW LOCAL RULE
Healthcare providers must apply for licenses for the services they offer as well as appropriate methods of service delivery under the Healthcare Services Act ( HCA ), which replaced the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act ( PHMCA ) in 2020.
Unlike the PHMCA, where services were only permitted to work on-site physically.
The withdrawal of Dr Maninder’s permission, including that to offer health services electronically, is” the first time MOH has revoked a skilled practitioner’s licence to deliver outpatient health services granted under the Healthcare Services Act 2020″, said MOH.
MOH on Wednesday also terminated his clinic’s Community Health Assist Scheme ( CHAS ), Public Health Preparedness Clinic ( PHPC ) scheme and Healthier SG participation, and revoked its MediSave accreditation.
Additionally, this means that the doctor will no longer register new occupants and offer Healthier SG enrollees under its care any important benefits. Additionally, this means that the center cannot file claims on behalf of patients under CHAS or PHPC.
Patients wo n’t be able to use MediSave to pay for the care and services provided at the clinic.
” Given the expulsion of his register as a health professional, MOH has also revoked Dr Maninder’s MediSave approval as an approved health practitioner”, the department said.
” To maintain continuity of care, the MOH has requested that Dr. Maninder be informing all impacted individuals. Instead of going to another local CHAS-accredited or MediSave-accredited clinic, the damaged patients might want to go to another nearby clinic.
The ministry urged all healthcare professionals to defend the SMC’s moral code and guidelines and to preserve a higher standard of professionalism.