A nurse who fraudulently obtained nearly £20,000 by falsifying shift records has been removed from the nursing register. Faith Chareka, employed in the emergency department at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, added 50 fabricated shifts between November 2020 and February 2023, according to a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practise committee report.
Chareka unlawfully obtained £19,575.41 and 540 hours in time off in lieu (TOIL) for work she never performed. Many of the shifts commanded enhanced rates for night duties, bank holidays and weekend working. The trust terminated her employment in 2023 after an internal investigation.
During sentencing, the judge noted Chareka engaged in repeated and premeditated dishonesty over two years. She admitted guilt in 2024 and received an 18-month suspended sentence, 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work.
Rosie Welsh, NMC case presenter, said the misconduct was committed against a publicly funded NHS body under financial pressure and placed patients at potential risk by exposing the emergency department to understaffing and strain. Alexandra Monaghan, representing Chareka, argued she had demonstrated genuine remorse and insight.
The panel concluded that Chareka's conduct removed substantial funds from the trust during and beyond the Covid pandemic, impacting NHS resources. They imposed a striking-off order, with an interim suspension order lasting 18 months to cover any appeal.
