The NHSCFA has today, Thursday 23 July, published its Health Service Counter Fraud Strategy 2026 to 2029. This strategy sets out how the NHSCFA will use large-scale NHS data for the first time to identify patterns of potentially suspicious activity and emerging fraud threats.
This follows a successful pilot trialled by counter fraud specialists at the NHSCFA and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. The pilot analysed NHS data from local and national sources and applied data science techniques, including machine learning, to detect increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes and support action to prevent them.
Counter fraud specialists reviewed the findings and worked with partners to target action where risks were highest.
In 2025 to 2026, the pilot delivered more than £40 million in savings by identifying and assessing potential fraud.
Fraud, bribery and corruption continue to divert vital funding away from patient care. According to the NHSCFA’s annual assessment for 2024 to 2025, the estimated risk to the NHS budget was £1.346 billion. This vulnerability is equivalent to the annual running cost of a large hospital.
The previous three-year plan, which ran from 2023 to 2026, resulted in £590.46 million in savings across the NHSCFA and the wider health counter fraud community, exceeding the original £500 million target. The new strategy builds on these achievements.
The 2026 to 2029 plan also supports wider NHS reforms. It reflects the three key shifts in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan: moving care from hospitals into the community, focusing on prevention and making better use of digital technology.
A key focus is to build fraud prevention into new services and strengthen collaboration across NHS organisations, government bodies and partners.
Alex Rothwell, Chief Executive of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, said:
“Fraud takes money away from patient care. This plan is about stopping more of that loss before it happens.
“The NHS holds valuable data that can help us understand risks, spot patterns and act sooner. We need to use that intelligence responsibly and effectively to protect public money.
“The results already achieved show what can be done when counter fraud specialists, analysts and partners work together with a clear purpose.
“But fraud prevention is not separate from delivering healthcare – it is a fundamental part of it.
“You cannot have a sustainable, effective health service without strong system integrity. Continued investment in our services and our strategy reflects that reality and will help us build a more resilient NHS for the future.”
Read the full strategy here