NHS manager jailed after ‘swindling’ health trust out of £250,000

An NHS manager has been jailed for four years after “swindling” a health trust out of £250,000.

Alan Hodge, 53, from Surrey, was “at the very heart” of the fraud which saw him give contracts to his friends, Croydon Crown Court heard.

He was renal technical department manager at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, and was in charge of maintaining dialysis equipment.

The crime related to Hodge’s award of work to his friends, and the resulting payments.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge N. J. Ainley said Hodge, who was found guilty of fraud by abuse of position, was “swindling” the hospital.

“He was simply giving his friends these contracts so that the contracts could be dishonestly manipulated,” he said.

The judge said the amount of money involved would have been somewhere in the region of £250,000.

“It seems to me at the very heart of this fraud is Alan Hodge. It could not have occurred without him,” the judge added, before sentencing him to four years in jail.

Pierre Allen, 55, who is believed to have received £150,000, was sentenced to three years, while Stephen Thompson, 47, believed to have received £60,000, was sentenced to two years, after both were found guilty of fraud by abuse of position.

Phillip Jones (pictured), 50, had pleaded guilty to the charge and was given a suspended sentence of 12 months.

“You had the good sense to plead guilty,” the judge told him.

Hodge’s partner Lisa Green, 49, was given a suspended sentence of six months for money laundering.

According to NHS Protect, Hodge was responsible for maintaining the dialysis equipment at three sites, St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Manorgate Satellite Dialysis Unit in Kingston upon Thames, and Mayday Satellite Dialysis Unit at Croydon University Hospital.

He also visited patients’ homes to decide what modifications would be needed for them to receive home dialysis, and to procure the works required.

NHS Protect, which tackles suspected fraud in the NHS, said that in October 2013 the manager of the renal department noticed that when Hodge was away far fewer invoices were being presented for her to authorise in his work area.

Further investigation established that he had been exploiting his position by engaging people he knew as contractors to carry out work for the Trust.

However, invoices appeared for work which was either not done at all, done far more frequently than was necessary, and was at times greatly overpriced, NHS Protect said.

Stephen Hopper, prosecuting, told the court that one message Hodge sent a friend said: “What on the panel can I tweak to bugger the pump up?”

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Our renal team work incredibly hard to provide our patients with a high standard of compassionate care, whether they need regular dialysis in hospital, are preparing for a kidney transplant or are cared for at home.

“We would like to assure all of our patients and their loved ones that Alan Hodge’s behaviour did not cause harm to the people we care for.

“However, Mr Hodge has badly let down his colleagues, his profession and our hospitals.

“Furthermore, his dishonest and fraudulent behaviour paid no regard to the taxpayer or our organisation during a time when the NHS as a whole faces significant financial challenges.

“Evidence of his fraudulent activity became apparent in October 2013 when he was suspended from work in relation to a different matter.

“It was immediately reported to the police and NHS Counter Fraud, and we are pleased to have been able to support the authorities in securing this conviction. He was dismissed in July 2014.

“Although it is extremely rare for a member of NHS staff to be able and willing to abuse their position in such a way, since this matter was uncovered we have taken steps to help make sure it cannot happen again.

“They include reviewing the way orders are submitted, how we approve the companies who supply equipment and how we review the standard of work from our contractors working off-site.”

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