Former trust chief charged with fraud

Phil Morley will appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court court on 8 June.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed to HSJ that Mr Morley, 53, faces one count of conspiracy to commit false accounting, two counts of fraud by abuse of position and one count of false accounting.

He has previously denied the allegations made against him.

Mr Morley led Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust for four years until spring 2014, and retired as chief executive of Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust last year.

Mr Morley will appear in court on 8 June alongside Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals’ former chief nurse Amanda Pye.

Ms Pye, 42, is currently chief nurse at London North West University Healthcare Trust. She faces one charge of conspiracy to commit false accounting.

A spokesman for her trust said Ms Pye is continuing at work as chief nurse and added: “We are aware of the allegation made against Amanda Pye relating to her time at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust. Amanda is continuing at work as chief nurse.”

HSJ reported earlier this week that Mr Morley was being investigated for fraud by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.

It was previously confirmed that NHS Protect began its investigation in February 2015, and as of February 2017 it was ongoing.

HSJ has approached the authority for comment.