Police drop inquiries into alleged manipulation of waiting list

Kettering General Hospital Foundation Trust was accused by a former employee of deliberately manipulating its waiting list, to exclude long waiters and those who had not been in touch with the hospital for more than six months.

An original investigation was launched into the claims in 2017 by NHS Protect [now NHS Counter Fraud Authority], which found no evidence of fraud, despite a separate internal report revealing the trust’s elective performance data was “fundamentally flawed” for over a decade.

Similar allegations were subsequently referred to Northamptonshire Police by former shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, which launched a probe into the allegations in 2020.

The force has now said in a statement to HSJ: “The case, which was investigated by financial experts within the force’s economic crime unit… resulted in a report being produced in which it was determined no further action would be taken.”

The trust’s chair Alan Burns said: “In 2017 allegations were made by an individual claiming the trust had acted fraudulently regarding waiting lists. NHS Protect investigated the claims and found no case to answer. In 2020 a similar allegation was made – Northamptonshire Police investigated and have found there was no case to answer.”