MPs speak up for accused Chinese GP

Hong Sheng Kong. Photo / Supplied

National and Labour MPs have endorsed an Auckland doctor who faces a retrial over allegedly altering a clinical record that misled the country's top health watchdog.

Hong Sheng Kong, of Pakuranga, was sentenced to a year's home detention and 400 hours' community service last November for fraud.

Yesterday he went before the Health Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal, which must decide whether to strike Kong off the medical register, suspend him, or impose other penalties. It reserved its penalty decision regarding Kong's admission that the convictions reflect adversely on his fitness to practise medicine.

Kong had changed his plea to guilty in the Auckland District Court last year on 16 charges of fraudulently claiming taxpayer funding that amounted to $183,134. He has paid that sum back to the Auckland District Health Board.

The plea-change came during a trial in which he initially faced 21 fraud charges relating to $1.3 million, and one of obstructing the course of justice.

The health board's lawyer, Bruce Northey, said yesterday it had started civil action in the High Court to recover "well over $1 million" from Kong.

The 44-year-old GP's lawyer, Harry Waalkens, QC, gave the tribunal excerpts of character references, including from National's Jackie Blue and Labour's Raymond Huo.

Arguing for a suspension from practising - to be imposed only if there was re-offending - he said Kong's services as a Chinese-speaking doctor were needed here. He also said Mr Huo was a patient of Kong's, was aware of the convictions and had said: "'It would be a massive loss to the community if [Dr Kong's service] were no longer' available."

Mr Huo declined to discuss the matter with the Herald yesterday.

Dr Blue told the Herald Kong was genuinely remorseful for his mistakes, he was a good doctor and he had the support of the Chinese community.

Asked how she came to give her reference, she said "the link came through Sam Lotu-Iiga", the National MP for Maungakiekie.

He gave evidence at the criminal trial as a former senior manager of the primary health organisation which was the conduit of taxpayer funding to Kong's Panmure clinic.

The obstruction-of-justice charge - Kong pleaded not guilty - was discharged by the district court judge on grounds the Health and Disability Commissioner was outside the scope of the charge. However, the Court of Appeal this month ordered a retrial.

The commissioner's office is said to have cleared Kong over a cancer case complaint after relying on a clinic file that was altered by the GP.

An elderly Chinese man had gone to see him with a right heel ulcer in 2005. His daughter asked that a biopsy be taken as she feared he had cancer.

Kong was said to have refused and diagnosed diabetes. The man was diagnosed with melanoma four months later and died in 2007. Kong is alleged to have changed the records to say he offered a biopsy but it was refused.