Health Department Refers Suspected Over-Issuance of Sick Leave Certificates by Chinese Medicine Practitioner to Board and Police

Following media reports of suspected issuance of sick leave certificates by a registered Chinese medicine practitioner without consultation, the Department of Health today referred the case to the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Police Force for criminal investigation and follow-up. The department said Chinese medicine practitioners must comply with the Reference Guidelines on Issuance of Sick Leave Certificates and Attendance Certificates by Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners and issue appropriate sick leave certificates based on professional judgement; in the past, Chinese medicine practitioners had been found guilty of professional misconduct and removed from the register for issuing misleading or false sick leave certificates.