Nichola Claire Reilly appeared at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Wednesday 10 September 2024, having pleaded guilty to theft, contrary to Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968.
She was sentenced to 26 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work and 15 days’ attendance at rehabilitation services. In addition, she must pay a £154 victim surcharge and £80 in other costs.
Reilly had been employed as a clinical site manager by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTM UHB) in the Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. She left CTM UHB on 14 August 2022, but continued to receive a salary until 30 June 2023. In that period, she was paid £24,818.93 (£18,287.78 net), which she knew she was not entitled to receive.
No record could be found to show that Reilly had contacted CTM UHB about the continuing salary payments, and during the relevant period, she spent the money she received. In doing so, she diverted funds which should have been used to provide NHS services.
After the theft was discovered during an audit, she was interviewed under caution on 26 February 2024, where she admitted to receiving and spending the payments, knowing she was not entitled to them.
Nigel Price, a Counter Fraud Specialist from CFS Wales who led the case, said:
“This case should be a clear warning that NHS Wales will prosecute people who steal its money.
“Reilly knew she was not entitled to receive the NHS salary but didn’t tell the health board. The situation was made worse due to that money being spent when it could have been used by the NHS.
“Overpayments like this will eventually be discovered and a criminal investigation will be started. In this case the investigation ended in a criminal prosecution, the repayment of the relevant salary paid in error and a suspended prison sentence.”
We would like to congratulate Nigel and all those working on the case for achieving this outcome and we thank them for continuing to tackle fraud within the NHS.