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Fraud Awareness Month

November 16, 2020

Throughout Fraud Awareness Month we will be highlighting the most reported frauds across the NHS, providing some guidance on preventing these and identifying when you should report your concerns.

Theft and misuse of NHS resources:

The NHS strives to deliver services from a finite budget. Anyone who takes NHS resources for private purposes has a direct impact on the care provided as they detract from our valuable resources. Fraud against, and theft of, NHS resources can be a hidden problem that can come in many guises.

Any use of NHS resources should be approved. We are not asking people to count every paperclip, but NHS equipment and resources should not be diverted from their intended use to provide financial gain to others.  It is therefore important that NHS organisations have appropriate measures in place to effectively prevent and detect this type of fraud.

What resources are at risk?

These can be the very basic office supplies which we all take for granted, or something much larger and obvious.

  • Using NHS photocopiers and printers to print private documents – in one example a member of staff was printing programmes for their Sunday league football team, selling them on match days and using the proceeds to fund the team,
  • Using NHS vehicles for private journeys – a Trust mini-bus was used to ferry another football team to away matches at the weekend, with the Trust picking up the bill for the fuel and wear and tear,
  • Mailshots for private business or other private correspondence added to the outgoing post with the NHS organisation picking up the bill for postage,
  • Mishandling petty cash with surplus items purchased and retained, and multiple receipts presented,
  • Items of PPE being ordered then taken for use outside the NHS or sold on platforms like eBay,
  • Large scale expensive items (plant machinery and components) reported as broken and replaced, but the original items being stolen and sold on,
  • Medical equipment being used privately without the appropriate reimbursement to the NHS and the staff member collecting the cash,
  • NHS equipment passed to patients for their use, being sold instead of returned when they are no longer required.

How can you prevent this from occurring?

  • Ensure appropriate policies and procedures are in place so that staff know what is expected of them and what is acceptable,
  • Try and avoid ‘one off’ exceptions to the rules as these can easily creep into wider and wider flouting of the rules,
  • Ensuring all equipment purchased is signed for and accounted for,
  • Ensure equipment reported as faulty, is returned for repair and review or formally disposed of,
  • Audits of sundry and basic supply ordering data for unusual patterns, high value or multiple purchases.

Anything you believe could constitute fraud and should be reported to your Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS). If you require any further information regarding fraud or bribery within the NHS, please contact the organisation’s LCFS.