Tackling Fraud in NHS of Scotland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tackling Fraud in NHS of Scotland - Essay Example Fraud in NHS Scotland costs an astonishing 100 million a year (Kelbie, 2008). However, NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS), which was set up as a deterrent safeguard against the further illegal activity, is empowered to discover, examine and trial cases of potential NHS fraud. "It is estimated that 14 million in NHS fraud savings have been made since the agency was established in July 2000." The Crown proudly announced that the NHS savings recouped from the potentially fraudulent activity is equal to the staffing costs of nearly 750 additional nurses or 120 extra consultants. In the alternative, it would fund enough resources for upwards of 2000 hip operation replacements or nearly 100,000 MRI scans, or nearly 200,000 emergency facility attendances (Crown, 2008). In the area of greatest savings, it was determined from two investigations that the greatest annualised cost recoupments were in gold dental inlay fraud reduction and ophthalmic service containment. These two spearheaded and particularized strategic investigations returned more than 2.2m on an annualised basis. The enormity of the savings in just two areas of concern highlights just how pervasive and ubiquitous the problem is (NHS, 2005/2006). The fraudulent activity most rampantly perpetuated involves patients who claim exemption from NHS charges for "dental treatment, optical vouchers and prescription charges; using false identities or fake prescriptions, and using the NHS for treatments free of charge." (Kelbie, 2008).