Practice manager jailed for fraud | nursing times

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An NHS practice manager who swindled a West Country surgery out of £70,000 has been jailed for 15 months and ordered to repay £48,000. Richard Matthews, 52, admitted at Truro Crown Court to


one count of theft from Rosedean dispensing surgery in Liskeard between 2003 and 2007. He was found out after a doctor checked the financial records and noticed that considerable amounts of


“petty cash” had disappeared. Says NHS Counter Fraud Service spokeswoman Debbie Lloyd: “It seems there were no direct losses to the NHS, fortunately, but Matthews was a serious drain on the


practice’s own funds. “This outcome is a lesson to others who might think of exploiting a position of trust in a close-knit community. They are likely to be caught, and it will ruin their


reputation and career.” Cornwall and Isles of Scilly trust director of finance Sally May said: “This conviction sends a clear message that fraud will not be tolerated. “NHS Cornwall and


Isles of Scilly continues to raise fraud awareness across the local health community through our Local Counter Fraud Service.”