SINGAPORE – A Changi General Hospital (CGH) doctor who was caught for consuming and possessing methamphetamine and underwent drug rehabilitation in 2023 has been censured and deregistered by a disciplinary tribunal.
He is, however, allowed to apply for conditional registration, which will allow him to practise under supervision.
Dr Darren Leong Kok Cheong, believed to be in his 40s, who was a senior staff physician at the hospital’s department of sport and exercise medicine at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to the charge of improper conduct which brought disrepute to the medical profession on June 11.
He was arrested by the Central Narcotics Bureau on Feb 9, 2023, for the consumption and possession of methamphetamine, also known as Ice, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.
He received drug treatment and rehabilitation from Feb 16 to May 19 that year at a drug rehabilitation centre. He was not imprisoned for the drug offences.
The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) brought Dr Leong before a disciplinary tribunal, which held its hearing on June 11.
Before commencing medical practice under the conditional registration, Dr Leong has to provide SMC with a letter of undertaking. He could then be allowed to practise clinically under supervision by an approved medical practitioner for a period of 12 of months.
He was also ordered to attend drug rehabilitation and treatment with an SMC-approved addictions specialist or counsellor for 12 months.
He has to submit reports to SMC to show if he is free from drug addiction and his risk of recidivism at the 6th and 12th month.
The tribunal said Dr Leong will not be entitled to apply to be a fully registered doctor immediately after the 12-month conditional registration order has lapsed. He will need to show that he has complied to all orders, and to include a report from a relevant professional to certify he is rehabilitating well, free from drug addiction and has a low recidivism risk when applying to re-register.
The tribunal also censured Dr Leong, who has to give a written undertaking to SMC not to repeat similar conduct, and pay the relevant costs and expenses of the proceedings.
In Dr Leong’s defence through written documents submitted to the tribunal earlier, his counsels said he would consume drugs at home on Saturdays, “so that the effects of the drugs would wear off on Sunday, and that he would be fit for work by Monday”.
They also said he did not consume drugs at work, and CGH did not receive any complaints from his patients that he was not discharging his duties.
The counsels also noted there had been no publicity of Dr Leong’s arrest in 2023, and no specific disrepute to the profession.
Though the tribunal accepted that there was no evidence of actual harm to any patient, it pointed that the drug consumption had impacted Dr Leong’s ability to work, as he did admit to having difficulties turning up at work on time.
The tribunal also considered Dr Leong’s culpability for the misconduct, to which it noted that he had abused drugs for eight years, and was already a senior medical practitioner in 2023. He had been practising since April 2006.
Dr Leong’s counsels provided several mitigating factors to this, citing his unblemished medical career and track record, good character, and contributions to society and the medical profession, including participation in medical missions to several countries in the region.
They said Dr Leong had shown remorse by making an early disclosure of his arrest to SMC, and cooperated with the disciplinary investigations.
He had also taken steps to ensure that he did not relapse to drugs, including seeing a psychiatrist and moving back to stay with his parents. He tendered positive reports from his psychiatrist and a social worker on his progress.
His counsels also said he had consumed drugs to deal with pressures of being a bisexual and to manage his vocal dystonia as he sings in the church choir.
Nevertheless, the tribunal chaired by Dr Yap Lip Kee said these mitigating factors carry little weight in sentencing, as “public interest is the paramount consideration when dealing with medical misconduct cases, and that this consideration overrides personal mitigating factors of the errant medical practitioners”.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, CGH said it had carried out internal investigations and Yestablished that there was no impact on the safety and care of patients.
Decision grounds released by SMC on Oct 13 revealed that Dr Leong had been placed on a four-phase performance improvement plan (PIP) by CGH in Sept 2023.
It was only in phase 3, which spanned from Nov 1, 2024, to April 30, that Dr Leong was permitted to see patients face to face and to see new patients.
He is currently in the final, year-long phase of the PIP, which will end on April 30, 2026. In this phase, Dr Leong will have monthly reviews with his department head.
CGH said Dr Leong has expressed deep remorse, and has since undergone counselling and completed rehabilitation.
“The hospital remains fully committed to uphold the highest standards of patient safety, and believes a supportive, respectful workplace enables our staff to provide the best care outcomes for patients”, it added.
