The NHS is holding a Fraud Awareness Month throughout October 2008, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will be showing it is serious about reinforcing its anti-fraud culture by educating employees and patients about the damaging effects of fraud and some simple ways to stop it.

Every health body in England and Wales has an accredited Local Counter Fraud Specialist who is responsible for overseeing fraud-proofing measures, studying the financial comings and goings, looking for anything suspicious, raising awareness of the issues and investigating allegations of fraud. They are supported regionally and nationally by the NHS Counter Fraud Service, which deals with high-value or complex frauds.

Since the first Fraud Awareness Month in 2003, many highly successful events have been held to raise awareness and educate NHS staff and patients. This year, the Trust's specialists, Richard Schmidt and Lina Anderson, will hold stands at the Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital on Friday 3 October.

Local Counter Fraud Specialist Richard Schmidt said: "Nationally, counter-fraud activities have already recovered tens of millions of pounds of NHS money and led to many fraudsters being prosecuted. However, we also need every honest person who works in and uses the NHS to help by recognising and reporting any fraud that does occur so we can ensure that the public funds of the NHS are spent on patient care."

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Director of Finance, Neil Chapman, added: "Fraud against the NHS is not a victimless crime because these valuable funds are meant for patient care. We want to send a clear message that fraud will not be tolerated in our trust and we will support the prosecution of offenders."

Types of NHS fraud and offenders vary. For example, patients may avoid paying prescription charges by falsely claiming exemptions; staff may gain employment with false documentation, or claim pay for shifts they did not work; and contractors may exaggerate or falsify records of NHS work.

Anyone wanting to report any incident of suspected fraud in the NHS can call the NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60 or visit cfsms.nhs/fam08

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust