Counter Fraud

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust operates a zero-tolerance policy towards all acts of fraud and corruption from staff, contractors and patients.

What are fraud, bribery and corruption?

Simply put, fraud is acting in a dishonest way in order to make a personal financial gain, or to cause a financial loss to another. Fraud is a criminal offence which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

A fraudulent act may include knowingly making a false representation; failing to disclose information; or abusing a position of trust.

Corruption describes a spectrum of improper activity conducive to a breach of public duty, most notably Bribery. Bribery is generally defined as giving or receiving a financial or other advantage in connection with the "improper performance" of a position of trust, or a function that is expected to be performed impartially or in good faith. Bribery is a criminal offence which carries a maximum 10 year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.

Why is it important to raise awareness of fraud, bribery and corruption within the Trust?

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority Strategic Intelligence Assessment for 2023 stated that fraud was estimated to cost the NHS £1.264 billion. This is a 0.6% increase on the previous year and is enough to pay for over 40,000 nurses. Many will be shocked to learn that some people, fortunately a small minority, seek to gain by targeting taxpayer funds that are meant for patient care – particularly at a time when NHS resources are under significant pressure.

Such losses have a direct adverse impact on the quality of services the NHS can offer to patients and the public.

Your Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS)

Grant Thornton UK LLP are contracted to provide counter fraud services to the Trust. As Lead LCFS, Mark Kinsella is responsible for dealing with all fraud, corruption and bribery matters.

How we are tackling fraud at Royal Surrey

Grant Thornton UK LLP actively works with the Trust and the NHS Counter Fraud Authority to ensure that fraud, bribery and corruption are prevented wherever possible, and investigated wherever detected. Alongside raising awareness within staff, the counter fraud team carries out proactive investigations to seek out instances of wrongdoing for further investigation, including criminal prosecution. The team works with the Trust to minimise the potential damage from fraud and seeks redress at every opportunity.