Fraud against the NHS will not be tolerated – that’s the message from our local NHS fraud fighters.
Fraud against the NHS takes many guises including patients attempting to avoid paying prescription charges by falsely claiming exemptions or claiming for travelling expenses that they are either not entitled to or have not incurred. Staff may attempt to gain employment with false documentation, or claim pay for shifts they did not work or pick up a shift elsewhere whilst off sick from the Trust; and contractors may exaggerate or falsify records of NHS work or goods provided.
Nicki Foley, our Local Counter Fraud Specialist, said “Most people who work in and use the NHS are honest, but unfortunately there is a minority that attempts to defraud it of its valuable resources.”
All suspicions of fraud are investigated thoroughly and are dealt with in the most appropriate manner, including where appropriate, prosecution through the criminal courts. We also seek to recover monies that have been defrauded and where NHS staff are involved, we take appropriate disciplinary action and refer them to their professional body for further possible sanctions.
The cost of fraud to the NHS is estimated to be more than £1billioneach year which has a detrimental impact on NHS services. The estimated loss, according to NHS Counter Fraud Authority, equates to one of the following:
- 56,000 junior doctor posts
- 40,000 staff nurses
- 22,000 GP posts
- 116,000 hip replacements
- 715,000 ECG devices
- 5,000 new and fully staffed ambulances.
During Fraud Awareness Month this November and International Fraud Awareness Week from 13 to 19 November, Nicki will be speaking to patients and staff at a joint stand being hosted with the Humberside Police Economic Crime Unit on our hospitals and community sites.
Lee Bond, our Chief Financial Officer, said: “NHS Fraud is not a victimless crime as these valuable funds are meant for patient care. The Trust is absolutely committed to ensuring that our precious NHS funds are used to deliver patient care and not diverted into the pockets of fraudsters.”
Staff and members of the public are encouraged to play their part in protecting NHS resources and report any suspicions of fraud. To report suspected fraud or corruption at the Trust you can call Nicki on 03033 302994. Alternatively, you can call the NHS fraud and corruption reporting line on 0800 028 40 60 or visit https://cfa.nhs.uk/reportfraud.