Singapore legislation
Clause 56
Clause 56
Findings and order of Disciplinary Committee
(1)
During the formal inquiry, if a registered veterinarian is found by a Disciplinary Committee —
to have been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude;
to have been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence implying a defect in character which makes him or her unfit to practise veterinary medicine;
to have been guilty of professional misconduct;
to have been guilty of any improper act or conduct which, in the opinion of the Disciplinary Committee, brings disrepute to his or her profession;
to have failed to provide professional services of the quality that meets the standard that is reasonable to expect of a veterinarian;
to have his or her fitness to practise veterinary medicine impaired by reason of his or her physical or mental condition; or
if the registered veterinarian’s registration is suspended under an interim suspension order — to have contravened the suspension or any term specified for the interim suspension order,the Disciplinary Committee may make one or more orders under subsection (2).
(2)
For the purposes of subsection (1), the orders that a Disciplinary Committee may make against the registered veterinarian are —
cancellation of the registered veterinarian’s registration;
suspension of the registered veterinarian’s registration for a period not exceeding 3 years;
if the registered veterinarian is —
a veterinarian with full registration or a specialist — imposition of any new or additional condition on that registration, or amendment or variation of any condition imposed, amended or varied under this Act; or
a veterinarian with restricted registration —imposition of any new or additional condition or restriction on that registration, or amendment or variation of any condition or restriction imposed, amended or varied under this Act;
subject to section 23(9), suspension or cancellation of the registered veterinarian’s practising certificate;
imposition of a penalty not exceeding $50,000;
censure of the registered veterinarian;
issuance of either an advisory or a warning to the registered veterinarian;
requirement for the registered veterinarian to give any undertaking that the Disciplinary Committee thinks fit to abstain in future from the conduct complained of;
requirement for the registered veterinarian to undertake and complete further education or training, within a period, specified by the Disciplinary Committee;
referral of the disciplinary case for mediation and direction for the attendance of the complainant and registered veterinarian before a mediator specified by the Disciplinary Committee; and
any other order that the Disciplinary Committee thinks fit.
(3)
If a conviction of the registered veterinarian for a criminal offence is relevant to the disciplinary case, the Disciplinary Committee and the General Division of the High Court on appeal from any order of the Disciplinary Committee are to accept his or her conviction as final and conclusive.
(4)
The Disciplinary Committee must dismiss the disciplinary case if the Disciplinary Committee does not make a finding mentioned in subsection (1).
(5)
If the Disciplinary Committee cancels the registration or practising certificate of the registered veterinarian under subsection (2)(a) or (d) (as the case may be), the Disciplinary Committee may specify terms that he or she must comply with for the purposes of restoration of his or her registration under section 76 or reinstatement of his or her practising certificate, as the case may be.
(6)
If the Disciplinary Committee suspends the registration or practising certificate of the registered veterinarian under subsection (2)(b) or (d) (as the case may be), the Disciplinary Committee may specify terms that he or she must comply with under the suspension.
(7)
If the Disciplinary Committee makes an order under subsection (2), the Disciplinary Committee may also —
order the registered veterinarian to pay to the Council the costs and expenses of and incidental to any proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee and, where applicable, an Interim Orders Committee (called in this section the costs); and
in the order, specify the amount of the costs.
(8)
The costs mentioned in subsection (7) include —
the costs and expenses of any independent expert appointed under section 55(1)(a), any advocate and solicitor appointed under section 55(1)(b) or any assessor appointed under section 80 for the Disciplinary Committee;
the costs and expenses of any independent expert appointed under section 65(1)(a), any advocate and solicitor appointed under section 65(1)(b) or any assessor appointed under section 80 for the Interim Orders Committee mentioned in that subsection;
any reasonable expenses that the Council may pay to witnesses; and
any reasonable expenses that are necessary for the conduct of proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee and the Interim Orders Committee mentioned in that subsection.
(9)
For the purposes of an order made under subsection (7), the Disciplinary Committee may certify that costs for more than one advocate and solicitor must be paid, if the Disciplinary Committee is satisfied that the issues involved in the proceedings are of sufficient complexity, and the certification by the Disciplinary Committee has the same effect as if it were a certification by a Judge in a civil action in the General Division of the High Court.
(10)
The General Division of the High Court has jurisdiction to tax any costs mentioned in subsection (7) and any order for costs made by the General Division of the High Court is enforceable as if it were ordered in connection with a civil action in the General Division of the High Court.
(11)
The penalty under subsection (2)(e) is recoverable as a debt due to the Government.
(12)
The costs payable to the Council under subsection (7) are recoverable as a debt due to the Council.
(13)
All penalties collected or recovered under this section must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.
(14)
All costs collected or recovered by the Council under this section must be paid to the Council.