Jailed nurse struck off a year after release
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A male nurse convicted in a rape and drugging case in 2019 was gazetted by the Nursing Council on July 24 this year, about a year after his release from prison, and left his care-home job on August 31. During that gap, he had been hired by Ka Shui Garden Nursing Home (Tak Tin) as nursing director, before being reassigned to clerical work after the operator learned of his sex offence conviction. The Social Welfare Department later said it had received complaints in July and August, conducted surprise inspections and found the home had failed to ensure staff worked within their job scope and that care services were provided by suitably qualified staff. Lawmakers have since called for changes to the professional code and the Nurses Registration Ordinance to allow faster action after conviction and tighter checks on frontline carers
Key Points
- The man, Ting Shu-yuet, formerly Yeung Tsan-lam, was convicted in October 2019 of rape and administering drugs over a 2017 case involving a female internet acquaintance, and was jailed for seven years and four months
- The Nursing Council said the law does not empower it to immediately suspend a nurse upon learning of a conviction, and disciplinary proceedings can begin only after sentencing is completed
- After his release around mid-2025, he joined Ka Shui Garden Nursing Home (Tak Tin) as nursing director; after the home learned of his offence late last year, he was moved to clerical duties.
- The care-home operator said he no longer had contact with patients on other floors, but his contract was later terminated after an incident involving a stethoscope and family complaints
- Lawmakers Chan Man-yi and Chan Hoi-yan urged broader sex-offence record checks for frontline care workers and legal changes so convicted nurses can be struck off immediately and barred from restoration for three years
Why It Matters
The case focuses attention on a period in which a convicted sex offender could still work in a care setting before professional discipline was completed, raising questions about safeguards for elderly residents and other vulnerable people. It also adds pressure on the government and regulators to align nursing rules more closely with proposed reforms for doctors and with existing scrutiny of residential care home supervisors