The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) said in a statement yesterday that a doctor working for the Correctional Services Bureau (DSC) was suspected of conspiring with several doctors employed in local public and private medical institutions to issue multiple “Medical Examination Certificates,” commonly known as sick notes, for himself and his parents, and he also fraudulently obtained sick leave from the bureau, resulting in the illicit acquisition of nearly 150,000 patacas in salary over several years.
A CCAC investigation discovered that between 2018 and 2024, the doctor, during which time neither he nor his parents were ill, prearranged with several doctor friends working in local public and private medical institutions to issue sick notes or medical certificates for accompanying a patient so that they could have time off to handle personal matters. The doctors, provided the sick notes despite the fact no one was ill, cooperated in the scheme, thereby deceiving the bureau into granting sick leave, adding that, the DSC doctor was also engaged in paid part-time work without the knowledge or consent of his bureau.
The statement noted that the DSC doctor, his relatives, and the doctors from private medical institutions are suspected of committing fraud and document forgery as defined in the Penal Code, adding that the DSC doctor and the doctors from public medical institutions are also suspected of forgery committed by public servants.
The case has been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) and reported to the relevant entities, the statement said.
In recent years, multiple cases of public servants abusing the sick leave system have been uncovered, the statement said, pointing out that public servants and medical personnel should always abide by the law, uphold professional ethics, and refrain from abusing the sick leave system.
Regarding the incident, the Correctional Services Bureau announced in a separate statement yesterday that, upon having been notified by the anti-graft body about the case, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the suspect. The bureau also said that is it actively cooperating with the Commission Against Corruption in its investigation.
The statement said that the Correctional Services Bureau has immediately launched a comprehensive review of the management mechanism for staff sick leave absences, further strengthening internal oversight, including conducting home visits and verifying medical conditions in coordination with the Health Bureau (SSM) , as well as referring suspected fraudulent cases to the SSM Medical Examination Committee for assessment in accordance with the law, to prevent the abuse of sick leave to defraud public funds.
Besides, the bureau also said that its senior officers will enhance their supervision and require all staff to diligently fulfil their duties as public servants, uphold the law and maintain integrity.
The statement reaffirmed the bureau zero-tolerance policy towards any illegal or disciplinary violations by public servants, adding that such incidents will be dealt with seriously in accordance with the law, and never condone illegal behaviour.
