News Article
22 July 2009
A former head of orthotics for Nottingham has received a suspended 12 months’ prison sentence for defrauding the NHS of over £21,000, at Nottingham Crown Court (21st July 2009). He must also do 150 hours of unpaid work.
Peter Crocker abused his position as Principal Orthotist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, based at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), to favour his private patients and the supplies company he co-directed, called ‘Head 2 Toe’.
Crocker, 54, of Leybury Way, Scraptoft, was investigated by the NHS Counter Fraud Service after a call to the NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line.
He was in charge of the Trust’s orthotics department from 1999 to 2008, including the QMC workshop where technicians make costly leg and neck braces and special insoles.
In 2000 he obtained permission from a business manager (who later left) to use NHS facilities and staff for his private clients, on condition he paid for doing so no more than three months in arrears, and provided there was no impact on service to NHS patients.
Crocker was not invoiced until April 2002, when he was billed for a fraction of the amount the Trust was actually due. Thereafter, he failed to inform business managers of the original agreement, despite continuing his commercial use of these NHS resources until 2006.
He also earned over £5,000 as a lecturer and examiner at Salford University during his paid NHS time, while submitting duplicate travel expenses to both the university and the NHS Trust. On two occasions in 2006 he defrauded the NHS by marketing his ‘Head 2 Toe’ business in paid NHS time, visiting orthotics companies in France (Laboratoire Sober) and Germany (Fior & Gentz) to negotiate exclusive contracts for the UK market.
Peter Crocker was arrested on 9th February 2007. A large amount of evidence was seized, showing he had failed to reimburse the NHS for more than 350 devices he had made for private clients, at a cost to the NHS of around £28,000. These he sold to his private patients at an average mark-up of 50%.
He was suspended by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust on the day of his arrest, and the Trust ceased placing orders with two companies involved in the initial investigation. He pleaded not guilty to all counts on 14th March 2008 at Nottingham Crown Court. He was dismissed from his post on 4th November 2008 and failed in his appeal against the decision.
Steve Guillon, Operational Fraud Manager East Midlands, NHS Counter Fraud Service, said:
“It is entirely unacceptable for any NHS employee to put their NHS patients second. Peter Crocker has paid the price for doing so.”
For more information contact James Robertson or Daryl Barrett at the NHS CFS press office on 020 7895 4524/ 4523. Out of hours mobile 07717 851 926
Further information on NHS CFS can be found at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/CounterFraud.aspx
Notes to Editors
1. NHS Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS) - a service of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) - was established to tackle fraud and corruption throughout the NHS and Department of Health 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.
3.The NHS Counter Fraud Service has a network of teams who deal with complex, high value and cross boundary NHS frauds. In 2007-08 NHS CFS saved the NHS £7,565,014
4. In 2007-08 the NHS CFS successfully prosecuted 57 criminal cases with a 96% success rate.
5. To report any incident of suspected fraud in the NHS, please call the Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60.