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Fraud investigators probe serious allegations at a Highland GP practice

Carl Wright
Carl Wright

Health chiefs in the Highlands called in fraud investigators to probe several serious allegations about a local GP practice, it can be revealed.

But NHS Highland said last night that an extended audit at the Nairn Healthcare Partnership found no evidence to substantiate the claims.

The health board disclosed the move after a whistleblower broke his silence to reveal how he raised the alarm about a £200,000 contract at the practice.

Carl Wright told the Press and Journal that he warned senior colleagues at Nairn Healthcare Partnership in July 2015 about his concerns over the terms of the deal, but was told a “gentleman’s agreement” was in place.

And he claims he lost his job as practice manager just two months later, with no “specific reason” given.

Mr Wright, who now runs Highland Payroll Services Ltd and is vice chairman of the Moray branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the matter only progressed after he spoke to north MSP Edward Mountain, who in turn contacted the Audit Scotland watchdog.

Audit Scotland then asked the board’s external auditors, Grant Thornton UK LLP, to probe the contract and found that an agreement to provide intermediate care at Nairn had been in place since 1998 but had not been subject to a formal tender or “value for money” assessment.

According to a leaked report which emerged this week, the contract was terminated by the board in May 2016 for “unclear” reasons, but it was then reinstated following a complaint by the practice.

Mr Wright claimed the reason the board moved to terminate the deal in May 2016 was that he had written to NHS Highland chief executive Elaine Mead and the board’s contracts manager Ros Philip to blow the whistle just weeks earlier in February.

Auditors also found that even when a new intermediate care contract was agreed between the board and the Nairn centre in September 2016, money was paid to the facility from that date despite the deal not being officially signed off until February 2017 – meaning NHS Highland was paying for a service that was not legally agreed during those months.

Mr Wright said: “I think it’s a disgrace what has happened, both by the surgery and the Highland board.”

When the Press and Journal put the allegations to the NHS Highland last night, a spokesman said: “NHS Highland received a number of allegations from an individual regarding the GP practice.

“Due to the seriousness of the allegations, NHS Highland referred the matter immediately to Counter Fraud Services and, in turn, to the Practitioners Services Division who carried out an extended payment verification audit of the practice.

“No evidence was found to substantiate these claims and no further action was taken.”

Sturgeon taken to task on NHS

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday dodged a question on whether she has complete confidence in the management of NHS Highland.

The SNP leader was challenged on the issue in Holyrood after it emerged that an Audit Scotland-ordered report found a “lack of understanding of the importance of good contract management” at the health board.

At first minister’s questions, local Conservative MSP Edward Mountain said: “Given Audit Scotland’s report on contracts in NHS Highland, which found that contracts were informal, long running without review, unaudited and not documented, and given the sums of money involved, can the first minister confirm whether the Scottish Government has complete confidence in the management of NHS Highland?”

Ms Sturgeon responded: “I understand that the report that Mr Mountain refers to relates to the provision of two contracts in NHS Highland: one is for healthcare at the Nairn medical practice and the other is for the carrying out of vasectomies across the Highlands.

“The report states that the contracts date from 1998. It raises issues of procurement.
“NHS Highland has already said that it is taking the required action to implement the recommendations and will monitor that via its own audit committee.

“I expect all health boards to follow relevant procurement regulations to ensure the best use of resources.

“We have been clear that we expect NHS Highland to address the issues that are raised in the audit report and to fully implement its recommendations — as NHS Highland has already said that it will do.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr Mountain said: “While the first minister is supportive of the actions taken by NHS Highland to remedy the situation, I remain concerned that the first minister did not state whether she had full confidence in the governance of NHS Highland.

“It is of great concern that the only two contracts that were audited highlighted serious financial mismanagement.

“The public have a right and deserve to know if financial mismanagement is a more widespread issue within NHS Highland.”