Northumbria University is
spearheading vital research to enhance counter-fraud strategies within the NHS
in England, aiming to reduce financial losses, protect public trust, and safeguard
the quality and safety of healthcare services.
Official estimates indicate the NHS
is vulnerable to losing up to £1.3 billion
annually to fraud*. These crimes range from procurement fraud, such
as inflated contracts and non-delivery of goods, to patient fraud, including
unlawful claims for treatment or exemptions, and employee fraud, such as
falsified qualifications or timesheets, and employee fraud, such as falsified
qualifications or timesheets.
A team of researchers from
Northumbria, Cardiff and Manchester universities has been awarded almost £900,000 of funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to lead the SCAN: Strengthening Counter Fraud across the NHS in England study.
With expertise in law, medical
sociology, criminology and business studies, the team will examine how
counter-fraud measures are delivered in the NHS across England and look for
ways to make them more effective – protecting public trust, quality of care and
NHS budgets.
Dr Cerian Griffiths of Northumbria Law School, who co-leads SCAN alongside Professor Tim Rapley, highlighted the
urgency of tacking fraud in the health sector. “Every pound lost to fraud is a
pound that could have been spent on patient care,” she said.
“By improving counter-fraud
strategies, we aim to help the NHS protect its resources and strengthen public
confidence in the system.”
Across NHS organisations,
counter-fraud measures vary significantly, with a mix of internal NHS teams and
external companies delivering responses. Dr Griffiths added: “This fragmented
approach has led to inconsistencies, making it challenging to coordinate
efforts effectively. Our research project aims to address this issue by mapping
existing counter-fraud strategies across national, regional, and local NHS
bodies.”
Researchers will work closely with
policymakers, fraud experts, and NHS staff to analyse policies, training
programmes, and operational practices. Through surveys, interviews, and focus
groups, the team will identify best practices and areas where improvements can
be made. The findings will be used to co-develop practical recommendations,
training resources, and tools to enhance fraud prevention and response.
Alongside this analysis, the team
is ensuring the public and NHS workforce are heavily involved in shaping
solutions. A Public Stakeholder Advisory Group will ensure that the
recommendations align with public and workforce needs.
Professor Tim Rapley of Northumbria’s Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, emphasised the importance of this
collaboration: “Engaging NHS staff and the public in this research ensures that
our recommendations are practical and effective,” he said. “By working
together, we can build a more robust system to prevent fraud and protect NHS
resources.”
The SCAN project has been welcomed
by many leading figures working in the NHS and government agencies.
Alex Rothwell, CEO of the NHS
Counter Fraud Authority said: “We recognise the value of academic study, which
brings information and specialists from diverse disciplines and organisations
together. The counter fraud landscape is complicated and fresh
perspectives and transparency is welcomed.”
Lisa McAlister, Counter Fraud
Manager at NHS Business Services Authority states: “I welcome the
efforts of the SCAN project to improve the national and local response to the
threat of fraud against the NHS. This is a much-needed project at a time when
NHS budgets are stretched more than ever. SCAN has great potential to bolster
counter fraud efforts, and save public money lost to fraud and error.”
Sean McNabb, Director of Cartels at
the Competition and Markets Authority also stated: “Tackling fraud in the NHS
and in other parts of the public sector has never been more important and this
vital research should help ensure that those responsible for spending public
funds are more alert to the risk of fraud and better equipped to combat it.”
The research findings from this
study, which runs until autumn 2027, will be shared widely with policymakers,
NHS leaders, and fraud prevention experts through reports, conferences, and
media outreach. The ultimate goal is to create a more coordinated and effective
counter-fraud system that helps safeguard the future of the NHS.
The full research team includes Professor
Tom Sanders and Emeritus Professor Jacqueline Harvey from Northumbria
University, Alan Doig from Cardiff University and Professor Nicholas Lord and
Dr Katie Benson from the University of Manchester.
Visit the SCAN project website to learn
more about the study and counter-fraud efforts across the NHS and wider health
sector.
