Doctor sentenced for flu scheme fraud
A private doctor was yesterday ordered to undertake 120 hours of community service for defrauding the flu vaccination programme of HK$960 by creating fake patient records.
Barry Tsang Ka-hung, 42, was also ordered to repay the money he had dishonestly claimed under the government-sponsored vaccination programme for the elderly. Tsang had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining access to a computer with a view to dishonest gain.
Kwun Tong magistrate Joseph To Ho-shing said it was a serious case involving a doctor who breached the trust of patients.
Tsang's counsel, Peter Duncan SC, earlier told the magistrate that the doctor, who had been running his own clinic in Nathan Road, Mong Kok, since 2001, had acted in a way 'not really consistent with his character'. In pleading for leniency, Duncan said the amount of money involved was small. Also, it was inevitable that Tsang would be subject to a disciplinary hearing before the Medical Council.
Under the government scheme, providers could apply for reimbursement for administering vaccinations. In November and December 2009, Tsang obtained access to a computer system operated by the Department of Health, created false records for four patients, then claimed HK$1,280 in reimbursement.
He only received HK$960, as the last payment was withheld by investigators. The crime was discovered after Dr Tang Shao-fen, who took part in a vaccination service organised by community groups, sought to claim reimbursement for Wong Hon Shui-yin, one of the four patients whose names Tsang had used to make his fake claims.
