£60,000 NHS fraud leads to suspended sentences for convicted duo

Lavender, aged 43 (of Stretton in Staffordshire), was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 17 February. He was also ordered to undertake a 12-month mental health treatment programme and 62 days of rehabilitation across two programmes. Lavender had previously pleaded guilty to both counts of fraud by false representation at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 19 November last year.

Kilgallon, aged 39 (of Brook Road, Twickenham), was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 17 February. He was also ordered to undertake a three-month alcohol treatment programme, ten days of rehabilitation and 175 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months. Kilgallon had previously pleaded guilty to both counts of fraud by false representation at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 19 November 2025.

Locum paramedic

From 2017 until 2024, Lavender was employed as a locum paramedic by a private clinical staffing agency. He was managed by Kilgallon, a recruitment consultant responsible for managing NHS clients and candidates in the Midlands area.

In September 2022, Lavender was contracted to work for Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust (DIHC). Between September 2022 and June 2024, Lavender submitted altered, inflated and false timesheets under the direction of Kilgallon. In total, Lavender and Kilgallon defrauded the NHS out of £63,835.

DIHC referred the case to the NHSCFA on suspicion of fraud. NHSCFA investigators gathered and analysed banking material, which proved that Lavender had received the inflated funds.

Investigators interviewed Lavender and Kilgallon under caution, with both of them attending voluntarily, and obtained witness statements. They also obtained telecommunications from Lavender, in which Kilgallon directed him to amend timesheets and add extra shifts.

Altered timesheets

Through DIHC, Lavender was based at two GP surgeries in Dudley: St James Medical Practice and Eve Hill Medical Practice. On 69 occasions between September 2022 and March 2024, he submitted altered and inflated timesheets for extra shifts not worked, totalling £34,386.00.

Between 27 March and 12 June 2024, Lavender continued to submit weekly paper timesheets, despite having stopped working for DIHC. He fraudulently altered the dates of previously approved and signed timesheets and entered new dates for those weeks. This totalled a further £29,449.20. The staffing agency has already made repayments to the NHS in relation to this.

Although Kilgallon didn’t receive any payments from Lavender, he did earn commission on top of his basic pay by keeping Lavender in work at DIHC. An estimated £1,223.81 of this is suspected to have been obtained through Lavender’s fraudulent timesheets.

NHSCFA financial investigators are now using their powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to trace and recover the remaining lost funds.

Skill and dedication

Ben Harrison, head of operations and engagement at the NHSCFA, said: “These convictions demonstrate the skill and dedication of our investigators who meticulously traced the evidence through banking records, telecommunications and detailed interviews to build an irrefutable case.”

Harrison added: “Over nearly two years, Lavender submitted inflated claims for shifts he never worked, while directed to do so by Kilgallon, his manager. This case highlights the importance of robust timesheet verification processes.”

In conclusion, Harrison affirmed: “We will continue to pursue those who defraud the NHS and ensure they face the full consequences of their actions.”

*Further information is available online at www.cfa.nhs.uk