14 February 2003
The reward for pharmacists in England and Wales informing on benefit fraudsters has gone up sevenfold. Under an initiative announced this week, they will now be able to claim a £70 reward, up from £10.
Health minister Lord Hunt said pharmacists who provide information that leads to an investigation into patient fraud would also be able to claim the money, under a revamped Pharmaceutical Reward System.
He said the PRS and other anti-fraud initiatives had contributed to an estimated reduction in fraud of 41% from £117m in 1998/99 to £69m in 1999/2000. The new system would bring this down further.
'Pharmacists play an integral role in the fight against fraud,' he said. 'The health service has already seen a huge reduction in the amount of money lost to NHS services due to pharmaceutical patient fraud but there is still more to do.
'I believe that this reward of £70 will be seen as an extra incentive for all pharmacists to tackle patient fraud in their local communities.'
The department plans to introduce similar schemes in dentistry and optometry.
The PRS will be run by the NHS Counter Fraud Service. Jim Gee, its director, said the reward was one of a number of initiatives aimed at reducing fraud to a minimum. Since it was set up in 1998, the CFS has saved the NHS £200m, a 14 to one return on its budget.
'All reports will be followed by a visit from a counter fraud specialist who will give advice and support on how to handle such cases. All money saved from reductions in fraud are spent on the delivery of quality patient care,' he added.
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