A former head of estates with the NHS has been found guilty of defrauding the health service.
Hasan Tahsin, 54, of Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, a senior manager who worked for the NHS for 19 years, has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and 200 hours of unpaid community work following an investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Service.
Tahsin, former head of estates and capital projects at Mid Essex Hospital Service NHS Trust, fraudulently obtained £245,246 between March 2004 and March 2009 by making false claims about his credentials.
Following an audit of senior managers’ qualifications at the Trust, Tahsin was arrested and interviewed last May. He admitted that he did not have the university qualifications and the memberships of professional bodies that he had claimed when he applied for NHS posts. These were essential criteria for the posts he attained at five different NHS trusts.
Tahsin was charged with two offences of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception and three offences of fraud by false representation.
Investigating officer Alan McGill, of the NHS Counter Fraud Service, said: “It is regrettable that Tahsin managed to secure senior management posts within the NHS for so long. Such deceptions are the exception – the vast majority of NHS staff are of high integrity. This case demonstrates that when suspicions of fraud are brought to our attention, we will thoroughly investigate and, where fraud is found, will seek to prosecute.”
