Update | Man ‘pretending to be doctor carried out medical check-up on Hong Kong hospital patient’
A man accused of masquerading as a doctor at a public hospital made his first appearance in court on Saturday.
A man accused of masquerading as a doctor at a public hospital made his first appearance in court yesterday.
Clad in a black jacket and surgical face mask, Mo Man-yip, 24, a financial investment agent, was charged with one count of pretending to be a registered medical practitioner. Mo did not enter a plea in Kowloon City Court.
Setting out the allegations against Mo, Magistrate Ronald Cheung Wai-tat said the alleged offences had taken place at United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong. Mo allegedly went as far as to conduct a medical check-up on a male patient and called the patient's family with an update on his medical condition.
Cheung said that at 6.30pm on Tuesday, Mo allegedly donned a white gown and went to the hospital's accident and emergency department, where he claimed to be a doctor and asked to see a patient. The ward manager refused as his face was unfamiliar, Cheung said.
But, an hour later, Mo allegedly was spotted "conducting a medical check for a patient by placing a stethoscope on his chest", Cheung said. The ward manager became anxious about the safety of patients and alerted hospital security, Cheung said.
However, it was two days later, on April 16 - after Mo was spotted at the hospital again - that the security officer called police.
"Under caution, the defendant admitted the offence and claimed he was studying a medical course in Australia, but he failed the course," Cheung said. "He admired the doctors' work very much and thus impersonated a doctor."
Prosecutor Fanny Toh told the court that Mo lied to police officers about his studies and was actually in Hong Kong at the time that he claimed he was studying in Australia. The magistrate requested reports from two psychiatrists to ascertain whether Mo was fit to make a plea.
Asking Cheung to order the reports, Toh said: "During police custody … [Mo] was very emotional and hit his head against the wall." She added: "It is unbelievable for the defendant, who is not a doctor, to behave like this in front of patients."
Mo, who was not represented by counsel, made no application for bail. He was remanded in custody to appear before Kwun Tong Court on April 30.
Under the Medical Registration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for impersonating a doctor is three years in prison.
Cheung told Mo to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man yesterday said he would take up the case with the Hospital Authority next week and ask it to investigate security loopholes at public hospitals.
