Counter fraud work saves NHS almost half a billion
Nearly half a billion pounds has been saved by cutting NHS fraud, figures released this week show.
The NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service is now halfway
through a 10-year programme to reduce fraud within the NHS. Its five-year
statistics illustrate the achievements so far. Altogether, they add up
to a saving of £478m since 1998 and a 785 per cent improvement
in fraud detection rates.
More detailed figures show that between 1999 and 2002 counter fraud work
cut pharmaceutical fraud by patients by 60 per cent. Fraud by NHS professionals
was reduced by 18–30 per cent. The CFSMS has a prosecution success
rate of 97 per cent, with 216 successful prosecutions to date plus 275
civil, legal and disciplinary cases.
Health minister Lord Warner commented: “I welcome this saving of
nearly half a billion pounds from fraudsters. This can now be spent on
what it was intended for — patient care.”
Suspected fraud in the NHS can be reported via a fraud and corruption
reporting line on 08702 400 100. Further information can be found at
www.cfsms.nhs.uk |
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