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Doctor suspended from practice for 4 months after he was jailed for filming female nurse in toilet
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Dr Lum Yang Wei was on duty on Feb 19, 2016 when he placed his mobile phone under the door of a toilet for the disabled, where his victim was relieving herself.
He then confessed to the police that he had taken two videos of the woman that day, and had begun taking similar videos when working at another hospital.
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The man pleaded guilty in court to insulting the victim’s modesty and was sentenced to six weeks’ jail in June 2017. He has not practised medicine for over three years since his arrest.
His victim cannot be named due to a court gag order to protect her identity.
Read also: Court of Appeal acquits doctor of sexually assaulting and molesting patient in clinic
In judgment grounds released on Thursday (July 2), a three-member disciplinary tribunal additionally ordered that Dr Lum be censured, in addition to the suspension. The tribunal’s order was made on May 22.
Dr Lum also has to give a written undertaking to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) not to engage in such conduct again, and pay costs for the disciplinary proceedings.
After serving his jail sentence, the SMC permitted him to perform his housemanship — training for new medical graduates to learn the basic skills of clinical practice. It was not made clear why Dr Lum was completing his housemanship after the jail term even though he had worked as a doctor at the time of the offence.
Read also: Doctor who drugged, molested patient stripped of licence to practise in ‘unprecedented case’
The tribunal — comprising Associate Professor Roy Joseph, Dr Lydia Au from Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Legal Service Officer Kevin Ng — did not specify the hospitals where Dr Lum worked or how old he is.
They agreed with the SMC’s proposal for a four-month suspension, finding that he showed regret and remorse and “made positive progress in his recovery” following psychiatric and psychotherapy treatment.
He was willing to get treatment, and had enrolled himself into “further professional studies”. This minimised the influence of negative factors, the tribunal found.
Read also: Doctor says he can’t remember patient he is accused of molesting, denies touching her breast
Dr Lum also has the support of his peers and superiors in the medical fraternity, the tribunal said.
After the Ministry of Health Holdings promoted him to a full medical officer in December 2018, he was offered conditional registration as a medical practitioner and employment in August last year. The offers were put on hold pending the tribunal’s ruling.
These factors, including family and church support, show that he can “one day resume contributing to society as a doctor again”, the tribunal added.
“It is also clear the medical fraternity has no issues reintegrating Dr Lum into its wings again because of his potential as a competent and productive medical practitioner. This would then be a suitable case to offer the doctor a second shot at his medical career,” the tribunal said.
Dr Lum’s actions were not serious enough to warrant a striking off due to factors such as the lack of physical contact between Dr Lum and his victim. This was unlike cases such as Dr Tan Kok Leong, who had drugged and molested his male patient during liposuction procedures.
A fine would be ”wholly inadequate” to address the seriousness of Dr Lum’s behaviour and deter like-minded doctors from committing similar offences.
“(A suspension) demonstrates to the public that the disciplinary tribunal will take upskirting offences very seriously,” the tribunal added.
- Dr Lum Yang Wei has not practised medicine for more than three years
- He was jailed 6 weeks in 2017 after pleading guilty
- He had begun taking similar videos while working at another hospital
Story Continues Below Advertisement
Dr Lum Yang Wei was on duty on Feb 19, 2016 when he placed his mobile phone under the door of a toilet for the disabled, where his victim was relieving herself.
He then confessed to the police that he had taken two videos of the woman that day, and had begun taking similar videos when working at another hospital.
Story Continues Below Advertisement
The man pleaded guilty in court to insulting the victim’s modesty and was sentenced to six weeks’ jail in June 2017. He has not practised medicine for over three years since his arrest.
His victim cannot be named due to a court gag order to protect her identity.
Read also: Court of Appeal acquits doctor of sexually assaulting and molesting patient in clinic
In judgment grounds released on Thursday (July 2), a three-member disciplinary tribunal additionally ordered that Dr Lum be censured, in addition to the suspension. The tribunal’s order was made on May 22.
Dr Lum also has to give a written undertaking to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) not to engage in such conduct again, and pay costs for the disciplinary proceedings.
After serving his jail sentence, the SMC permitted him to perform his housemanship — training for new medical graduates to learn the basic skills of clinical practice. It was not made clear why Dr Lum was completing his housemanship after the jail term even though he had worked as a doctor at the time of the offence.
Read also: Doctor who drugged, molested patient stripped of licence to practise in ‘unprecedented case’
The tribunal — comprising Associate Professor Roy Joseph, Dr Lydia Au from Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Legal Service Officer Kevin Ng — did not specify the hospitals where Dr Lum worked or how old he is.
They agreed with the SMC’s proposal for a four-month suspension, finding that he showed regret and remorse and “made positive progress in his recovery” following psychiatric and psychotherapy treatment.
He was willing to get treatment, and had enrolled himself into “further professional studies”. This minimised the influence of negative factors, the tribunal found.
Read also: Doctor says he can’t remember patient he is accused of molesting, denies touching her breast
Dr Lum also has the support of his peers and superiors in the medical fraternity, the tribunal said.
After the Ministry of Health Holdings promoted him to a full medical officer in December 2018, he was offered conditional registration as a medical practitioner and employment in August last year. The offers were put on hold pending the tribunal’s ruling.
These factors, including family and church support, show that he can “one day resume contributing to society as a doctor again”, the tribunal added.
“It is also clear the medical fraternity has no issues reintegrating Dr Lum into its wings again because of his potential as a competent and productive medical practitioner. This would then be a suitable case to offer the doctor a second shot at his medical career,” the tribunal said.
Dr Lum’s actions were not serious enough to warrant a striking off due to factors such as the lack of physical contact between Dr Lum and his victim. This was unlike cases such as Dr Tan Kok Leong, who had drugged and molested his male patient during liposuction procedures.
A fine would be ”wholly inadequate” to address the seriousness of Dr Lum’s behaviour and deter like-minded doctors from committing similar offences.
“(A suspension) demonstrates to the public that the disciplinary tribunal will take upskirting offences very seriously,” the tribunal added.
