Newshound

Fraud officers called in unnecessarily

Publication date:  04 Nov 2009

The NHS Counter Fraud Service is often being called in unnecessarily to investigate allegations against hospital consultants that are clearly false, according to Stephen Campion, chief executive of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association.

“For some time I’ve been concerned that where allegations of fraud are made the immediate response of the NHS trust has been to use the services of the counter fraud office. They end up investigating what it’s quite clear was an inappropriate matter.”

The issue, he said, was at what stage trusts should call the counter fraud specialists in. He has dealt with six cases this year where he felt their involvement was inappropriate.

“I will not defend the indefensible,” he said. “But I will defend to the hilt the right of consultants to fair play.”

Many association members only found out that the fraud specialists had been following them after several months. Incidents included a consultant who had allegedly been working in a private hospital during the time he was contracted to work in the NHS, and whose car was filmed arriving and leaving the private hospital car park.

There have even been cases where consultants have been overpaid due to a clerical error where the counter fraud team have been called in to check whether or not the consultant was deliberately defrauding the NHS, he said.

Quite often, said Mr Campion, a check on the consultant’s contract would have immediately highlighted that their work was bona fide. Often these allegations were made by other doctors who wanted to gain financial advantage, particularly where private work was at stake, he said.

However a spokesperson for the counter fraud services said trusts had been advised that a specialist should be contacted as soon as any suspicion of fraud or corruption arises.

“Professionally trained staff can then establish the facts,” she said.