A nurse who fraudulently claimed nearly £20,000 by adding bogus shifts to hospital rotas has been struck off the nursing register. Faith Chareka, who worked in the A&E department at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, added 50 shifts she never worked between November 2020 and February 2023, according to a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) report.
Fraudulent Gains
Chareka's dishonest actions netted her £19,575.41 in payments and 540 hours of time off in lieu (TOIL) for which she did not work. She claimed enhanced pay for nights, weekends, and bank holidays for these fictitious shifts. The trust terminated her employment in 2023 following an internal investigation.
Conviction and Sentencing
Chareka pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position in 2024. During sentencing, the judge stated she had “engaged in repeated and premeditated dishonesty over a period of two years.” She received an 18-month suspended sentence, with a rehabilitation activity requirement of 15 days and 200 hours of unpaid work.
Rosie Welsh, case presenter for the NMC, noted that the offending was “committed against a publicly funded NHS body already under financial pressure.” She added that Chareka “placed patients at potential risk of harm by exposing the ED to the potential risk of understaffing, delays, reduced support for colleagues and wider strain upon the service.”
Impact on NHS Resources
The NMC report highlighted concerns about the impact on patient services and workforce. It stated: “Your conduct removed substantial funds from the trust during and beyond the Covid pandemic, which placed pressure on already challenged NHS resources. Your dishonest receipt of TOIL meant that rather than you working the shifts, the shifts would need to be covered by others.”
Defence and Sanction
Alexandra Monaghan, representing Chareka, argued that she had shown “genuine remorse and insight” and had “expressed repeated heartfelt apologies.” She submitted that the purpose of sanction is not to punish and reminded the panel that Chareka had been “sufficiently punished in the criminal court.”
However, the panel concluded that the only appropriate sanction was a striking-off order. As the order cannot take effect until the end of the 28-day appeal period, the panel imposed an interim suspension order for 18 months to cover any potential appeal.
