Sterling urges healthcare sector to ensure background screening is priority in light of increased employee fraud

Leading global background screening provider, Sterling, has urged the healthcare sector to take background screening more seriously in light of a slew of recent incidents where employees spent a number of years in situ after falsifying qualifications.

With a former NHS boss in Oxford receiving a suspended prison sentence after claiming a false university degree, and a senior radiologist lying about being a qualified GP – the company has highlighted the need for healthcare providers to have stronger screening processes, and stressed that these incidents can be prevented with the right checks and balances.

Commenting on the rise in figures, Steve Smith, Managing Director EMEA of Sterling stated:

“Unfortunately, this kind of fraud is not uncommon. With an explosion of ‘diploma mills’, where fake qualifications can be easily obtained – dishonesty is becoming easier than ever. As these methods become more sophisticated, the need for robust screening processes is crucial.”

“This is even more relevant in a sector like healthcare, where fraud could endanger the safety of members of the public, along with the integrity and reputation of health services. While in the recently identified cases, the perpetrators were caught – unless vetting protocol is reviewed the risk remains that others could fall through the net.”

“Fortunately, with the right screening processes, incidents like this can be prevented. Education verification, among other, more common checks such as criminal record screening can shed light on candidates to ensure that healthcare providers limit the risk of a bad hire.”