NHS Counter Fraud News – June 2019

Developing a network of counter fraud champions

Last year we announced a number of new counter fraud initiatives developed in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care to support the delivery of the department’s Counter Fraud Strategic Plan.

One of the initiatives was to create a network of counter fraud champions in the NHS. During 2018-19 we engaged with health bodies to develop ideas for this and created a prototype e-learning package to support the initiative, which is currently being tested – we are grateful to all colleagues who provided their input.

This year we will work with health bodies to take a step further and introduce the role of counter fraud champions across the NHS.

The NHS is already leading the way in public sector counter fraud work – a network of accredited local counter fraud specialists covers providers, commissioners and national bodies; a set of national standards for counter fraud work have been in place in the NHS since 2012; and the NHSCFA recently played an important role in the development of the Government Counter Fraud Profession, with launched in October 2018 with our investigators among its founding members.

Counter fraud champions will help the NHS build on this and further raise the profile of our shared efforts to fight fraud, bribery and corruption. Please look out for further updates as we continue to work on this initiative.

Report NHS fraud

Fraud against the NHS is bad news, but you can do something about it. If you have any suspicions or concerns about fraud, bribery or corruption affecting the NHS, you can report them to us, in confidence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A note for our readers in Scotland

Due to the nature of our distribution lists, some of our readers may be in Scotland. The NHSCFA leads the fight against NHS fraud in England, and we also provide specialist counter fraud support functions to the Welsh Government.

For any matters relating to NHS fraud in Scotland, please contact NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services. If you would like to report a fraud against NHS Scotland, please call their fraud hotline 08000 15 16 28.