Fraud

How we detect and prevent fraud happening.

The overwhelming majority of patients and professionals would not dream of stealing from the NHS, but a small minority of patients, suppliers and health service staff do just that. Every time they commit fraud, patient care suffers. The law abiding public have the right to expect the NHS to safeguard public funds and to crack down on those committing fraud.

SCAS ambulance and stretcher
Fraud in the health service takes many forms. Often it is relatively low value and opportunistic. Sometimes, it is high value and committed by skilled criminals.

Patient fraud includes wrongful claiming of exemption from fees, alteration of prescriptions and more recently, using aliases to obtain controlled drugs.

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) is a special health authority charged with identifying, investigating and preventing fraud and other economic crime within the NHS and the wider health group. It replaces its predecessor NHS Protect, which was part of the NHS Business Services Authority.

Not acting against fraud, can undermine the reputation, integrity and professionalism of the NHS and perceptions about the quality of the services it provides leading to a loss in public confidence. Success in combating fraud depends on the co-operation and involvement of both patients and staff at all levels within the NHS.

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust also has its own Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS). To discuss any concerns or to report a suspicion regarding NHS fraud, contact Lisa George, our Local Counter Fraud Specialist on 07825 827024 or email: lisa.george4@nhs.net

You can also report any suspicious activity to the National Fraud and Corruption reporting telephone line on 0800 028 40 60 or online at www.reportnhsfraud.nhs.uk

More information about fraud, bribery and corruption can be found at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/fraud

See our Bribery Act 2010 Statement for more information.

National Fraud Initiative – Fair Processing Notice

The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. The Trust may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for; auditing, or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises. Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

The Trust participates in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative: a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise, as detailed here.

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

View further information on the Cabinet Office’s legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information.

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