Dr Ang Expresses Sadness as He Vacates Premises After Nearly Two Decades of Practice
Psychiatrist and politician Dr Ang Yong Guan has announced the closure of his clinic at Paragon Medical Singapore, where he has treated patients since 2005. In a video posted on Monday (Feb 17), Dr Ang shared that he was vacating the clinic after nearly two decades, having provided psychiatric care to around 7,000 individuals.
His departure follows a ruling by the Court of Three Judges on Feb 5, which imposed a three-year suspension for exceeding prescribed medication dosage limits in a past case. Despite this, Dr Ang revealed that the Singapore Medical Council has yet to confirm when the suspension will officially commence. Until then, he intends to continue seeing patients at his Novena Medical Centre practice for a few more weeks.
“It’s a difficult moment, but life must go on. I deeply appreciate the support from everyone over the years,” he said, reflecting on his clinic’s closure.
Aside from his medical career, Dr Ang has been active in politics. He was Head of Training and Development for the Progress Singapore Party from 2020 to 2023 and later became its Second Assistant Secretary-General in April 2023. Previously, he was affiliated with the Singapore Democratic Party in 2011 and SingFirst in 2014. Over the years, he contested multiple General Elections, including in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, and Marymount SMC, where he narrowly lost in 2020.
Dr Ang’s public service extends beyond politics. He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 1995 for his contributions as a community leader in Kembangan, working alongside former MP George Yeo for 15 years. A former colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces, he also received the Public Administration Medal in 1996. Before retiring from military service in 2003, he served as the Chief Psychiatrist of the SAF’s Psychological Medicine Branch.
Legal Case and Suspension
Dr Ang’s legal troubles stem from a case dating back to 2012, involving a patient, Quek Kiat Siong, who died of multiple organ failure four days after receiving a prescription that exceeded recommended dosage limits. The patient had been undergoing treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia.
At the time, Dr Ang prescribed 60mg of Mirtazapine and 25mg of Zolpidem Controlled Release per day—both exceeding the respective maximum dosages of 45mg and 12.5mg.
Initially, a disciplinary tribunal convened by the Singapore Medical Council imposed a two-year suspension, which was appealed by both Dr Ang and the SMC. The Court of Three Judges later found him guilty of three counts of professional misconduct and increased his suspension to three years, finalising the decision on Feb 19.
As Dr Ang prepares to step away from his long-standing medical practice, his case continues to spark discussions about professional accountability in Singapore’s healthcare sector.
