Dover and London GP practice manager jailed for £300k theft

Immediate release – Monday 10th May, 2010

Following an investigation supported by the NHS Counter Fraud Service, the former manager of GP practices in Dover and London has been jailed for four and a half years at Canterbury Crown Court (Friday 7th May, 2010). Confiscation orders are now being sought.

Debbie Sadler, 42, of Waltham Close, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, abused her trusted position as Practice Manager at Pencester Medical Centre, Pencester Road, Dover, to steal £207,791.00 from her employers. She also fraudently earned over £93,000 at this and other practices. She pleaded guilty to 27 of 30 charges.

One of the GPs she worked for at the Pencester practice suspected fraud and reported their concerns to the NHS Counter Fraud Service in June 2008.

After receiving a tax demand for the practice, Sadler took two days off work, during which her colleagues started to examine the finances. They found several irregularities including a ghost employee and Sadler was dismissed. Kent police arrested and interviewed her.

Further investigations revealed that Sadler had found a new job while on police bail, as a practice manager at the Albion Health Centre in Whitechapel Rd, London. To obtain it, she had forged her references in the name of a GP at the Pencester Medical Centre.

When they learned of this in July 2008, The Albion Health Centre immediately dismissed her.

On 15th October, 2009, Sadler was charged with multiple offences of theft and fraud. It then emerged she had been employed since March 2009 as maternity cover for the practice manager at The Keats Group Practice in Hampstead, London, and had lined up her next job at the Prince of Wales Group Practice in Kentish Town, London.

As a result Sadler was charged with a further three offences of fraud.

-ENDS-

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 at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/CounterFraud.aspx

Notes to Editors
1. Debbie Sadler was convicted on 27 charges:2 x Obtaining a Pecuniary Advantage, Contrary to Section 16(1) of the Theft Act 1968; 1 x Obtaining a Money Transfer by Deception, Contrary to Section 15A(1) and (5) of the Theft Act 1968, 12 x Theft, Contrary to Section 1(1) and 7 of the Theft Act 1968, 12 x Fraud, Contrary to Section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006.

2. The 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.

3. Around 300 professionally-trained and accredited Local Counter Fraud Specialists are in place covering every health body in England and Wales.

5.The NHS CFS has a network of teams who deal with complex, high value and cross boundary NHS frauds. The potential NHS savings from completed NHS CFS investigations for 2008-09 is £9,946,030.
 
6. In 2008-09 the NHS CFS successfully prosecuted 69 criminal cases with a 96% success rate.

7. To report any incident of suspected fraud in the NHS, please call the Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60.