All reports are treated in confidence, and you have the option to report anonymously.
What should you report to us?
Important: Suspicious Covid-19 passport text message
If you have received a suspicious text message asking for payment for a Covid Passport or saying that you have come into contact with someone who has omicron you do not need to report this matter to us. NHSCFA are aware of these types of text. The appropriate course of action is for you to report it to Action Fraud.
Please note - the NHS will never contact you asking for payment for a Covid Passport. Do not click on any suspicious links or enter any payment details.
If you wish to report any other suspected fraud against the NHS please continue.
We can take reports of fraud where the NHS in England and Wales is the victim.
You can find a definition of fraud, along with some examples, on the What is NHS fraud? page. This explains that we also deal with other types of economic crime, such as bribery and corruption. You can find details of many types of fraud and other economic crime committed against the NHS in our fraud reference guide.
You may find it helpful to look at the information on these pages when preparing to make your report.
Don’t worry if you are not sure about anything, or don’t know all the facts. It is still worth reporting your concerns, as it may help bring criminals to justice and improve our understanding of fraud.
If you work in the NHS, you can also speak to your Local Counter Fraud Specialist about your concerns.
Where can you report other issues?
If your report does not relate to fraud against the NHS in England or Wales, then we will not be able to look into it. The table below provides some pointers on who you can contact instead.
| Fraud against NHS Scotland | Report it to NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services by using their online reporting form or calling the Fraud Hotline on 08000 151628. |
| Fraud against Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland | Call the HSC Fraud Hotline on 08000963396 or report online. |
| Fraud against individuals, or against organisations other than the NHS (including any frauds in which you are the victim) | Report it online to Action Fraud or call their fraud hotline 0300 12302040. |
| Theft, including theft of property belonging to the NHS | Report it to the police by calling 101. |
We will typically forward the report to the appropriate body (e.g. the police), but it is better if you make your report directly to the agency which is best placed to look into it. This will ensure it can be dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible.
More information
Reporting tips
Here are a few points to keep in mind when making a report to us:
- Don’t confront the suspect or try to investigate your concerns yourself.
- Please provide as much information as possible, as this will give us the best start in looking into the matter and may provide valuable intelligence to help improve our understanding of NHS fraud.
- Because of the sensitive nature of criminal investigations, we normally cannot keep you updated on the progress of any investigation. This doesn’t mean that your information wasn’t important or useful.
Can I report my suspicions of fraud in confidence to the NHSCFA?
All information you provide will be
treated in complete confidence.
There
are two ways of reporting that determine how your personal
details are handled.
Linked
- If you have no concerns about your personal details being
linked to the information you are providing (or if you are
reporting something in an official capacity as part of your
job). This means that your details will be held with the
information and made available to the investigating
officer. This will allow us to contact you easily if
anything needs to be clarified.
Separated
- If you are happy to provide your personal details to NHS
Counter Fraud Authority but would like your personal
details separated from the information you are providing.
Measures will be taken on receipt to ensure that the
information that you have provided does not reveal your
identity. Your personal details will not be disclosed to
anyone including the investigating officer without your
permission unless we are obliged by law, or it is in the
wider public interest.
Can I report my suspicions of fraud anonymously to the NHSCFA?
When you contact NHS Counter Fraud
Authority, you don't have to give us any information
about yourself unless you want to. Telling us who you
are may help us to investigate matters more quickly and
effectively, but you can choose not to give us your
name if you prefer. All information you provide will be
treated in complete confidence.
If you
would prefer to remain completely anonymous in your
dealings with NHS Counter Fraud Authority. We will not ask
you for your name or any contact details. Please be sure to
provide as much information and detail as possible
regarding the fraud, as we will not be able to contact you
again for further information.
NHS
EMPLOYEES - If you are reporting concerns in respect of
an area of business for which you are responsible or in the
course of your official NHS duties it is not usually
appropriate to use this option. Please consider using the
Linked option.
Is there a telephone number I can call to report suspicious activity or fraud within the NHS or wider health group?
The NHS Counter Fraud Authority has partnered up with Crimestoppers
to provide a 24-hour fraud reporting hotline.
If you
prefer you can speak to an experienced call handler, in
confidence, dial 0800 028 4060.
As an NHS employee, is there any protection for whistleblowers?
If an NHS worker tells NHS Counter Fraud Authority about any suspected wrong doing they believe may have occurred (including crimes and regulatory breaches) they will qualify for the same employment rights as if they had made a disclosure to their NHS employer.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) provides a statutory framework for protecting workers from harm if they blow the whistle on their employer. NHS Counter Fraud Authority is a "prescribed person" under this act.
Providing information in this manner is known as 'whistle-blowing' and disclosures meeting the legal standards are called 'protected disclosures'. If a 'protected disclosure' is made, the worker may have a right to redress through the employment tribunal should they suffer a detriment or be dismissed from work as a result of making that disclosure.