This week is International Fraud Awareness Week and an opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of the work undertaken to tackle fraud against the Trust and the wider NHS. We can all do this by;

• Being vigilant and knowing how to spot fraud
• Knowing how to report fraud if you suspect it
• Following anti-fraud advice and guidance designed to stop fraud from happening in the first place
• Spreading the anti-fraud message

Fraud is estimated to cost the NHS more than £1 billion each year – 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.

Because fraud is a hidden crime, knowing about it is the first step in dealing with it. That’s why this week, NELFT is joining hundreds of organisations around the world in celebrating International Fraud Awareness Week (IFAW), or Fraud Week.

For this year’s Fraud Week we are supporting the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) campaign highlighting the role of professional fraud fighters in the NHS, particularly:

• Local Counter Fraud Specialists (LCFSs), who are on the frontline of the fight against NHS fraud and deliver a wide range of counter fraud work (from awareness to prevention to investigations, to name a few)
• Fraud Champions, who support the counter fraud agenda within their organisations

NELFT’s LCFS is Daniel Higgs, and the Trust’s Fraud Champion is Veeren Kattan, associate director of finance.

If you have any suspicions or concerns about fraud in the Trust, please report them. All reports are treated in confidence, and you have the option to report anonymously.

Malcolm Young
Executive director of finance