19 March 2008

Name suppression lifted for Auckland medical practitioner facing fraud charges

<% If (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories1").Value) <> "" OR (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories1").Value) <> null Then SQLWhere = " AND (NewsStory LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories1").Value)&"%' OR NewsHeadline LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories1").Value)&"%'" End If If (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value) <> "" OR (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value) <> null Then SQLWhere = SQLWhere&" OR NewsStory LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value)&"%' OR NewsHeadline LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value)&"%'" End If If (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories3").Value) <> "" OR (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories3").Value) <> null Then SQLWhere = SQLWhere&" OR NewsStory LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories3").Value)&"%' OR NewsHeadline LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value)&"%'" End If If (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories4").Value) <> "" OR (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories4").Value) <> null Then SQLWhere = SQLWhere&" OR NewsStory LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories4").Value)&"%' OR NewsHeadline LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value)&"%'" End If If (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories5").Value) <> "" OR (Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories5").Value) <> null Then SQLWhere = SQLWhere&" OR NewsStory LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories5").Value)&"%' OR NewsHeadline LIKE '%"&(Recordset1.Fields.Item("RelatedStories2").Value)&"%'" End If SQLWhere = SQLWhere&")" %>Justice Harrison at Auckland High Court lifted name suppression for Auckland medical practitioner Dr Hong Sheng Kong today. Dr Kong, the sole GP at Hong Kong Surgery is facing numerous fraud charges in relation to the operation of his Panmure based medical practice.

The alleged fraud, totalling about $1.4million of Government funds and related to payments under the Primary Healthcare Organisation (PHO) regime, was committed over a 4 year period.

Dr Kong has also been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to a complaint made by one of his patients family’s to the Health & Disability Commissioner.

Auckland District Health Board spokesman Dr Denis Jury said that it was appropriate that name suppression had been lifted because it removed suspicion from other Auckland General Practitioners and was consistent with principles of open justice.

Dr Kong is due to appear again at Auckland District Court on 14th April 2008.

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Auckland DHB communications manager Sneha Paul on (09) 630 9952 or (021) 366 664