News Article
08 May 2009
Essex dentist Geoffrey O’Sullivan was sentenced to four months imprisonment yesterday at Chelmsford Crown Court, charged with defrauding the NHS of £10,000 through false accounting following an investigation by NHS Counter Fraud (NHS CF). O’Sullivan has repaid £23,651.32 to the NHS and now faces a disciplinary hearing by the General Dental Council.
Over 400 false claims for treating NHS dental patients, many of them children, were made at O’Sullivan’s Princel Lane Dental Surgery in the village of Dedham.
A NHS CF expert dentist examined a number of children registered at O’Sullivan’s surgery and found that expensive fissure sealant had been falsely claimed for many, including some with perfectly healthy teeth that had received no treatment at all.
North East Essex Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Dental Services (DS) for England and Wales were alerted to some suspicious claims for payment by a former employee of O’Sullivan’s. DS (which pays dentists for work on NHS patients) then visited the surgery as part of a separate enquiry about dental treatment for children and called in NHS CF’s specialist Dental Fraud Team in October 2006. Analysis of a sample of patient records, alongside claims made to DS, identified over £6,000 of suspected false claims covering 40 records.
On behalf of NHS CF, Essex Police arrested O’Sullivan on 13th February 2007 for conspiracy to defraud, searched the practice and seized all patient records. Interviewed later at Colchester Police Station, he admitted that false claims had been submitted to DS between 2002 and 2006.
NHS CF gathered evidence, interviewed patients and analysed further record cards, finding a total of 447 false claims made between July 2000 and April 2006, worth £23,651.32.
Head of the NHS CF Dental Fraud Team, Stephen McKenzie, said today: "People who provide medical and dental treatment to our children are rightly expected to have the highest integrity. This case is a reminder that dentists are being monitored and, if they do commit fraud, can expect NHS CF to pursue all available sanctions against them.
For more information contact James Robertson at the NHS CF press office on 020 7895 4524/ 4523. Out of hours mobile 07717 851 926
Further information on NHS CF can be found at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/CounterFraud.aspx
Notes to Editors
1. NHS Counter Fraud (NHS CF) - a service of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) - was established to tackle fraud and corruption throughout the NHS and DH whether it involves professionals, staff, patients or contractors. It aims to create a lasting anti-fraud culture.
2. Around 319 professionally-trained and accredited Local Counter Fraud Specialists are in place covering every health body in England and Wales. They are supported nationally and regionally by NHS CF. NHS CF investigations produced potential savings to the NHS of £7,565,014 during 2007-08.
3. In 2007-08 the NHS CF successfully prosecuted 57 criminal cases with a 96% success rate.
4. To report any incident of suspected fraud in the NHS, please call the Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60.