Ex-manager who stole £564,000 from NHS faces repayment or jail

An ex-NHS manager who stole £565,000 from the health service has been ordered to return a quantity of the stolen money or face jail.

Thomas Elrick, from Motherwell, was sentenced to three years and eight months in jail after pleading guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position in 2023.

The 58-year-old admitted to defrauding the now defunct NHS Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group out of £564,484 in his former role as an assistant managing director, where he could approve and sign off on invoices up to £50,000.

On Thursday, the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) was granted a confiscation order that forces Elrick to return £175,000 that he defrauded or face a two-year jail sentence.

Financial investigators from the NHSCFA applied for the order under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), following an investigation into Elrick’s finances, which found he only had £175,000 in known assets, including properties.

During a hearing at Harrow Crown Court, a judge gave Elrick three months to pay the full amount.

Elrick’s activities were discovered after a colleague at NHS Harrow CCG queried invoices from a company called Tree of Andre Therapy Services Limited.

Between August 2018 and December 2020, Elrick paid invoices submitted by the company, which were then deposited into a bank account registered in his name.

The investigation found that he approved all the payments, and the company delivered no services or work for NHS Harrow CCG.

In June 2020, he attempted to cover up his fraud by creating an email address in the name of his deceased wife.

Elrick then used this email address to send NHS Harrow CCG false, anonymised patient details where care appeared to have been provided and the names of GP practices who received services from Tree of Andre.

NHSCFA investigators contacted 11 of these practices, and they confirmed that Tree of Andre provided no services.

In November 2021, officers arrested Elrick at his home in Scotland and shortly after, he admitted to setting up Tree of Andre as a ghost company.

Elrick told NHSCFA investigators that fraud had become an addiction, and he knew he acted dishonestly, committing the crime purely for financial gain.

He said the money he defrauded was used to enjoy a lifestyle he had become accustomed to and that he wanted more of, including expensive holidays and shopping.

Ben Harrison, head of Operations at NHS Counter Fraud Authority, said the order sends a “strong message” that stealing from our NHS means stealing directly from patients.

“Elrick abused his position of trust to fund a life of luxury while depriving the public of over half a million pounds meant for healthcare,” he said.

“Today’s order ensures he faces the consequences of his actions and if he fails to comply, he will be punished.”

Mr Harrison added: “We will pursue anyone who defrauds our health service, recover stolen funds, and return this vital money to where it belongs – patient care.

“Greed at the expense of the NHS will be investigated and actively pursued.”

The North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB), which replaced NHS Harrow CCG, will receive the money once Elrick repays it.