Rooting out NHS fraudsters

A crackdown on NHS fraud at Rochdale Infirmary will continue following two successful prosecutions.

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Infirmary, has promised to continue investigating and prosecuting staff who commit fraud against the NHS.

The announcement comes as part of this month’s national Fraud Awareness Month in the NHS. The Trust has successfully brought cases against two members of staff in the past three months, both ending in guilty verdicts.

One case involved a senior healthcare assistant who claimed payment for shifts she did not work. The other concerned a nurse who was working in a private care home while on sick leave from the NHS.

Sue Smith, counter-fraud officer for the Trust, is responsible for tracking down staff who commit fraud.

She leads any fraud investigations at the hospitals run by the Trust — North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital, The Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary.

She said: “Fraud drains much-needed funds from the NHS and we take it very seriously.

“We believe it is taxpayers’ money that is being stolen and it is our responsibility to make sure that money is used for the right purposes — on patient services.

“We are, therefore, committed to the elimination of any fraud and to the rigorous investigation and punishment of any such cases. NHS staff who carry out fraud put their careers at risk for very limited potential financial gains.

“What surprises me the most is how some staff can risk their careers for a sum which equates to less than a pound for each hour they have worked for the NHS, yet that can mean a criminal record and cost that individual not only their job but their career.

“But we also need to remember that the NHS employs 1.3 million people, and this is only a problem in a handful of cases.”

The NHS Counter Fraud Service has recovered over £57.5 million since 1999. Three of the most common frauds by NHS staff are working while off sick, making false claims on timesheets and making false CV claims.

If anyone suspects a fraud within the NHS, they should ring the NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800-028 40 60 or visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/fraud