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

Financial investigators from the NHSCFA applied for the Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act following an extensive investigation into Elrick’s finances. This established that he only had £175,000 in known assets, including properties.

At Harrow Crown Court, the presiding Judge made the Confiscation Order and gave Elrick three months to pay the full amount. The money that’s recovered from Elrick will go back to the NHS.

Background to the case

In August 2023, Elrick (aged 58 of Motherwell in Lanarkshire) was sentenced to three years and eight months in jail after he pleaded guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position.

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

Elrick’s fraudulent 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. These payments were then deposited into a bank account registered in his name. The investigation found that he approved all of the payments although the company delivered no services or work for NHS Harrow CCG.

Anonymised patient data

In June 2020, Elrick attempted to cover up his fraud by creating an e-mail address in the name of his deceased wife. He then used this e-mail address to send NHS Harrow CCG false and anonymised patient details where care appeared to have been provided, as well as the names of GP practices who were said to have received services from Tree of Andre.

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

In November 2021, officers arrested Elrick at his home in Scotland. During his interview with NHSCFA investigators, he admitted to setting up Tree of Andre as a ghost company.

Elrick told them that fraud had become an addiction and that 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.

Strong message

Ben Harrison, head of operations at the NHSCFA, said: “This case 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.”

Harrison continued: “The Confiscation Order ensures that Elrick faces the consequences of his actions and, if he fails to comply, he will be punished. We will pursue anyone who defrauds our NHS, recover stolen funds and return this vital money to patient care where it belongs. Greed at the expense of the NHS will be investigated and actively pursued.”

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