MOH to revoke Siglap nursing home licence due to safety & care lapses, CEO previously convicted of misconduct

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be revoking the licence of a nursing home in Siglap from Nov. 23 due to "serious and systemic" lapses in the safety and care of its residents.

LC Nursing Home currently has 78 residents, who will be taken care of by an interim team deployed there until they are transferred to other homes.

MOH announced this on Jun. 29, less than two weeks after saying it would be revoking the licence of Windsor Convalescent Home over similar concerns.

These actions followed a series of audits by MOH at selected nursing homes to gauge compliance with infection and prevention control practices, and basic custodial and nursing care.

Persistent non-compliances

The ministry conducted multiple audits at LC Nursing Home.

Initially, in November and December 2025, MOH informed the home that they found serious and systemic non-compliance with requirements under the Healthcare Services Act.

It gave the home an opportunity to make improvements while MOH enforced stricter and closer monitoring.

When it conducted a further audit in April 2026, MOH found that LC Nursing Home did not fully implement certain rectifications or sustain rectification of the identified lapses.

There were also new and repeated non-compliances with HCSA requirements.

The lapses

Lapses found at the home include inadequate clinical and nursing care, inadequate infection prevention and control practices, and not ensuring a safe environment for the residents.

The following are some examples provided by MOH:

• Failure to conduct appropriate reviews or monitoring for residents in multiple aspects including falls, restraint practices and pressure injuries
• Failure to adhere to wound care protocols
• Poor medication management such as presence of poorly maintained medication stock, medication errors, and administration of medication by care staff without suitable credentials
• Failure to adhere to food hygiene practices and implement safe food processes with regard to meal preparation for residents
• Failure to implement infection prevention and control measures
• Failure to ensure environmental hygiene, and suboptimal pest control
• Poorly maintained infrastructure and environment, with multiple hazards posing injury risks to both residents and staff

Acknowledged the findings

After MOH sent a notice to LC Nursing Home about the intention to revoke its licence on Jun. 2, the home submitted representations.

They acknowledged MOH’s findings, and did not provide any explanations to refute the non-compliances.

The home assured the ministry they would take remedial actions, but the plan provided was "very brief, without clear milestones set, and did not provide sufficient assurance", MOH said.

Thus, the ministry assessed the home was not able to continue providing nursing home services safely.

Founder's past misconduct

According to LC Nursing Home's website, the home was established in 1994 by Chia Yang Pong and his wife.

The website said that Chia has 30 years of experience in the nursing home and eldercare industry.

Also listed as the home's CEO, he had his name struck off the Singapore medical register in 2004 after being convicted on 80 charges of professional misconduct.

According to the judgement on that case, he used to be the sole licensee of a chain of seven medical clinics known as Grace Polyclinic.

MOH conducted investigations at all branches of Grace Polyclinic in November 2002, which revealed that benzodiazepines had been improperly prescribed for a number of patients.

There was also no proper record of these patients' symptoms and conditions.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Singapore Medical Council accused Chia of "freely dispensing the hypnotic drugs...without any regard to their medical conditions, health, interest or the harm that might come to them", as quoted by The Straits Times.

Though he pleaded guilty, he appealed for the fine imposed on him to be reduced from S$65,000 to $10,000, which the council granted.

According to Zaobao, Chia was once the director at 11 different companies that were in the nursing home and medical industry. Of these 11 companies, six have since been shut down.