Counter Fraud Newsletter

Transcription

1 Counter Fraud Newsletter Winter/Spring COUNTER FRAUD SPECIALIST APPOINTED AT Steve Evans Local Counter Fraud Specialist As part of the counter fraud service now being provided to Powys Teaching Health Board by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, a full-time Local Counter Fraud Specialist has been appointed. Based on Monnow Ward at Bronllys Hospital, Steve Evans brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience having spent 30 years as a serving police officer. During that time, Steve served as a member of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) within South Wales Police as both a Detective Constable and Detective Sergeant, as well as completing the National Foundation Course in Criminal Investigation. In addition to his extensive operational policing experience, Steve spent 6 years as a seconded officer to the UK Border Agency Immigration Crime Team, primarily investigating immigration crime and identity fraud. He is a qualified advanced forgery examiner, and has been called to give evidence as an expert witness at Crown Court on numerous occasions in cases relating to fraud, identity theft and money laundering. Despite retiring from the Police force, Steve remains passionate in his commitment to combating criminality, and playing his part in protecting the Health Board s valuable resources. If you have any concerns regarding potential fraud, bribery or corruption which may be impacting on the Health Board or the wider NHS, Steve would like to hear from you. You can find all of his contact details at the end of this newsletter. 30

2 Page 2 NHS WALES PSYCHOLOGIST STRUCK OFF FOLLOWING FRAUD CONVICTION Fraud against the NHS is not a victimless crime but one that is draining the lifeblood from necessary treatments in hospitals and GPs surgeries A psychologist, who had previously been found guilty of fraud against NHS Wales following an investigation by Local Counter Fraud Specialists, has been struck off. Denise Whitworth, of Baglan in Port Talbot, initially took sick leave from her position with Cwm Taf University Health Board citing severe back pain which she said was made worse by the driving she had to do in order to see her patients. However investigations undertaken by the Local Counter Fraud Specialists established that she had continued to treat private clients during the time she had been on sick leave. When these matters were put to her, Whitworth admitted making bookings to see private clients in both Swansea and Cardiff whilst on sick leave, but claimed that she had done so with the full knowledge of her manager. Her manager subsequently denied this to be the case. Despite pleading not guilty when she appeared before Swansea Magistrates Court and Crown Court, she was convicted of Fraud by Failing to Disclose Information by a unanimous jury verdict in September 2015, and sentenced to a 12-month community order and 150 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay 2,990 in compensation and costs. Following her conviction, Whitworth s registration as a practitioner psychologist was initially suspended by the Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service, which is the fitness to practice adjudication service of the Health & Care Professions Council. However during a subsequent hearing in February 2018, it was decided that it would be in the wider public interest to issue a striking-off order. 31

3 Page 3 SURGEON JAILED AFTER LYING DURING INTERVIEW A surgeon has been convicted or fraud and jailed, after lying at interview about the number of operations he had carried out. During his interview for a surgical position with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Sudip Sakar of Broadstairs in Kent stated that he had undertaken more than 80 keyhole procedures, at least 50 of which were performed whilst working solo. However in reality he had only undertaken six. Giving evidence at Worcester Crown Court, Sakar stated that he had been very nervous prior to his job interview, and had misunderstood the question when asked about the number of keyhole procedures he had performed. However at the conclusion of the trial, a jury found him guilty of fraud by false representation, and he was subsequently sentenced to six years imprisonment. NHS ACCOUNTANT PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD A Finance Officer has admitted defrauding the NHS of more that 84,000. John Thurlbeck, of Spennymoor in County Durham, was employed by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. As part of his role he was responsible for signing off contracts relating to the Trust s lease car programme. However following an internal audit which highlighted a number of discrepancies, investigations found that Thurlbeck had manipulated the system to allocate himself free fuel and two lease cars which he was not entitled to. We press for prosecution of offenders and seek the strongest possible sanctions so public money is not diverted from patient care Thurlbeck was sacked from his position for gross misconduct, and pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud by abuse of position when he appeared before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court. Sentencing is due in March this year, and work has already commenced under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the losses to the NHS. 32

4 Page 4 FRAUDS AND SCAMS - BE AWARE! Anyone who commits fraud against the NHS is taking money away from patient care The primary role of an LCFS is to protect and safeguard the assets of the health body they work for. At Powys thb, we recognise that one of the most valuable assets we have are our staff. Wherever possible we will look to raise awareness of current or emerging fraud risks which you may fall victim to in your everyday lives, and try and help you to avoid them. Flight Ticket Fraud Fraudsters are attempting to entice victims who are looking for cheap flights abroad. Victims have reported booking tickets via websites or ticket brokers, only to discover that after payment via bank transfer or electronic wire transfer, the tickets/booking references received are counterfeit. In some cases, all communications between the company or broker and the victim have been severed. The fraudsters appear to be targeting individuals who are seeking to travel to African nations and the Middle East, particularly those wishing to travel in time for popular public and religious holidays. Pay safe: Be cautious if you're asked to pay directly into a private individual s bank account. Paying by direct bank transfer is like paying by cash the money is very difficult to trace and is not refundable. Wherever possible, pay by credit card or a debit card. Research any company you re considering purchasing tickets from; for example, are there any negative reviews or forum posts by previous customers online? Don t just rely on one review - do a thorough online search to check the company s credentials. Check company websites thoroughly; do they look professional? Are there any spelling mistakes or irregularities? There should be a valid landline phone number and a full postal address so that the company can be contacted. Avoid using the site if there is only a PO Box address and mobile phone number, as it could be difficult to get in touch after you buy tickets. PO Box addresses and mobile phone numbers are easy to change and difficult to trace. Be aware that purchasing tickets from a third party, particularly when initial contact has been made via a social media platform can be incredibly risky. If tickets to your intended destination appear significantly cheaper than any other vendor, always consider this; if it looks too good to be true, it probably is! Look for the logo: Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA or ATOL. You can verify membership of ABTA online, at 33

5 Page 5 Phantom Debt Fraud There has been a recent increase in the number of reported calls to members of the public by fraudsters requesting payments for a phantom debt. The fraud involves being cold-called by someone purporting to be a debt collector, bailiff or other type of enforcement agent. The fraudster may claim to be working under instruction of a court, business or other body and suggest they are recovering funds for a non-existent debt. The fraudsters are requesting payment, sometimes by bank transfer, and if refused they threaten to visit homes or workplaces in order to recover the supposed debt that is owed. In some cases, the victim is also threatened with arrest. Make vigorous checks if you ever get a cold call like this. Bailiffs for example, should always be able to provide you with a case number and warrant number, along with their name and the court they are calling from; make a note of all details provided to you. If you receive a visit from a bailiff, they must always identify themselves as a Court Bailiff at the earliest possible opportunity. Ask to see sight of their identity card which they must carry to prove who they are. This card shows their photograph and identity number. They will also carry the physical warrant showing the debt and endorsed with a court seal. Exercise caution believing someone is genuine because you ve found something on the internet; fraudsters can easily create fake online profiles to make you believe them. Double check with the court, company or public body they claim to work for to confirm whether the call is legitimate; if you use a landline make sure you hear the dialling tone prior to dialling as the caller could still be on the line and you could potentially speak to the fraudster himself or an accomplice who will confirm the non -existent debt. Also be sure to independently search for a telephone number to call; never use a number provided by the caller without carrying out your own research. Do not feel rushed or intimidated to make a decision based on a phone call. Step back and listen to your instincts. If you know you have a debt, keep in regular contact with your creditor. This will help you to understand who might be in contact with you regarding any repayments or arrears. We can only achieve our aims if we work together If you have been affected by these, or any other type of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting or by calling

6 Page 6 HAVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAD A FRAUD AWARENESS PRESENTATION? A big part of the Local Counter Fraud Specialist s job involves creating and embedding a real anti-fraud culture within the organisation. Key to this is ensuring that all staff are made aware of the risks posed to the NHS by fraud, and the important role they play in helping to combat it. Your LCFS is always available to come along and deliver fraud awareness presentations anywhere in the Health Board area, and can be flexible in accommodating the needs and time constraints of you and your staff. The content of the presentations can also be tailored to suit specific audiences as required. If you would like to arrange a fraud awareness presentation for your Department, please contact Steve who will be more than happy to help. CONCERNED ABOUT FRAUD? CONTACT US! If you have any suspicions or concerns about possible fraud, bribery or corruption in GWENT the NHS we NURSE want to FORGED hear from you. Your Local Counter Fraud Specialist Steve Evans can be contacted in a number DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS of ways. Telephone: A Trainee Dental Nurse has pleaded or guilty to forging prescriptions and stealing from pharmacies in order to feed her own drug addiction, following Stephen.Evans6@wales.nhs.uk a joint investigation undertaken by NHS Counter Fraud Specialists and South Wales Police. You can also write to him at the following address: The Trainee Nurse stole a total of 23 prescription forms from her Powys Teaching Health Board Counter Fraud Services Monnow Ward Bronllys Hospital Bronllys Powys LD3 0LS You can also contact The National Fraud & Corruption Reporting Line on or on-line at All calls will be treated in the strictest confidence. 35