Woman ordered to pay £26,252 for failing to disclose fraud convictions to NHS trust she worked for

Narminder Rayat, from Tipton, failed to declare she had previous convictions – relating to fraud – to the Worcestershire Health and Care Trust when applying for jobs.

She was employed at the trust in 2011 and later applied for 34 jobs at the site between 2015 and 2016, when she had a conviction for fraud relating to another organisation.

Rayat failed to disclose the convictions to the trust and did not disclose the information on any application made, an investigation launched by West Mercia Police found.

She was found guilty of fraud by false representation and failure to disclose information to make a gain for self, another, or cause or expose other to a loss in December 2019.

Rayat, of Eastfield Road in Tipton, was sentenced in December 2020 to 16 months imprisonment suspended for two years, as well as being ordered to attend a 25-day rehabilitation programme and given a six-month curfew.

The former healthcare assistant, who is no longer employed at the trust, was handed a compensation order at Worcester Crown Court on November 8 this year– meaning she must pay a total of £26,252 to Worcestershire Health and Care Trust within three months or face 12 months in prison.

Detective Inspector Emma Wright, of West Mercia Police, said: “This outcome is testament to a thorough criminal investigation carried out by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and goes some way to compensate Worcestershire Health and Care Trust, who have been impacted by the criminal conduct of Rayat.

“This case demonstrates that those who commit fraud will be tackled by West Mercia Police; both by bringing them to justice and by removing the proceeds of the crimes to compensate victims.

“I want to reassure the public that we take any reports of fraud seriously, and if you feel you or your business have been a victim of fraud you should report this to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.”