Over £100 Million Stolen in Five Years, Experts Call for Stronger Protection

A Growing Threat

The NHS has been hit hard by fraud in recent years, with over £100 million stolen in the past five years. This staggering figure represents the equivalent of funding more than 2,000 senior nurses' salaries for a year or providing over 20,000 rounds of radiotherapy for cancer patients.

Experts warn that these losses are inexcusable, especially considering the already overstretched state of the health service. They urge the NHS to take stronger measures to protect itself against fraud.

Individual trusts within the NHS have also suffered significant losses. University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust lost £30,615 in a bank mandate fraud, while Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust lost over £10,000 after its credit card details were stolen.

These cases highlight the vulnerability of the NHS to fraudsters who exploit weaknesses in IT systems. Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods, such as hacking supplier emails and intercepting communications to trick staff into transferring money into fraudulent accounts.

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) is working to raise awareness of payment diversion fraud and prevent further losses. They estimate that the overall cost of fraud to the taxpayer is between £55 billion and £81 billion in 2023/24.

The NHSCFA coordinates a collective response to fraud against the NHS, working with partners across the sector to detect, prevent, and recover lost funds. They also emphasize the importance of a counter-fraud response within every NHS commissioner and provider.

While some trusts have been fortunate enough to recover stolen funds, others have not been so lucky. The NHS must prioritize better protection against fraud to ensure that vital resources are used for patient care, not lining the pockets of criminals.