Anti-fraud programme saves health service £8m

Published on 03/12/2004 02:08

MORE than £8 million has been saved in the health service in Scotland since the creation of an anti-fraud unit four years ago.

The figure was given yesterday in the unit’s annual report, the publication of which coincided with the launch of a new charter to encourage health bodies across Scotland to work together to tackle fraud.

The potential scale of the problem was disclosed last year in a report which estimated the NHS in Scotland could be losing up to 100 million a year through fraudulent claims by doctors, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and other NHS practitioners.

That report, by the auditor-general for Scotland, Robert Black, said a further 12 million could be lost through fraud by patients.

NHS Scotland’s Counter Fraud Service was set up to prevent, detect and investigate fraud. The deputy health minister, Rhona Brankin, said: "

Prevention and deterrence of fraud against the NHS are the main functions of CFS, as it is far less costly to discourage people than to investigate it after it has taken place."

Some 6.5 million of the total related to claims by opticians for work not done or materials not supplied.