NHS finance director sentenced for triple job fraud

Tuesday 12th May, 2021

A former NHS Director of Finance was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for 11 years and 5 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for a series of fraud offences. These included failing to disclose his employment to three of his employers.

From November 2012 to January 2013 he simultaneously held full time interim Director of Finance or equivalent posts with Merseyside Commissioning Support Unit (CSU); South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula Clinical Commissioning Group (SESSP CCG); and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Trust (CWPT).

According to the investigation by NHS Counter Fraud Authority and Greater Manchester Police, he worked as a full time Director of Finance for both Merseyside CSU and SESSP CCG between 1st November 2012 and 14th January 2013. This enabled him to fraudulently earn a combined salary of £2000 a day. During this period, in December 2012 he accepted a third simultaneous NHS Director of Finance position, with CWPT. The total loss to the NHS amounted to £88,000.

He had spared no effort to maintain the illusion of carrying out his multiple responsibilities. To cover his tracks, he would contact his NHS employers with a range of excuses for his numerous absences.

HHJ Batiste, commended the “exceptional police and investigative work” by “Detective Sergeant, Donoghue of Greater Manchester Police, Ben Evans, FI Manager of Greater Manchester Police and Mr Mick Meade, Senior Fraud Investigator of the NHSCFA.” The Judge also added that “it was an exceptionally complex case requiring much hard work which was to a high standard”.

Richard Rippin, Head of Operations of the NHSCFA, said: “Stephen Day carried out a calculated fraud against the NHS. Any money lost to fraud affects the amount of resources the NHS has available for front line care. The money stolen by Day would have been enough to fund the annual salaries of three nurses. We are pleased that through joint working with Greater Manchester Police we were able to show the court the full extent of his offending. The NHSCFA believe that multi-agency working such as this is the best way to stamp out fraud against the public sector. If you suspect NHS fraud, please report it to us either through our online reporting form or by calling our fraud and corruption reporting line.”