Local Counter Fraud Specialist

Salary £35,392 to £42,618
Base: Torquay (with potential for hybrid and home working)

ASW Assurance is a well-regarded consortium that provides a not-for-profit alternative to the private sector. We are the in-house provider of specialist counter fraud and internal audit services to NHS organisations in the South West. We are hosted by local NHS Trusts, including Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. Our role is to work closely with these organisations, particularly their senior managers and audit committees, helping them to achieve excellence in governance and control their costs whilst still improving patient care. Our staff have the opportunity of working with major hospitals, mental health trusts, ICBs and other health providers.

We have an exciting opportunity for a high calibre, outgoing, motivated and aspirational Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) to join our Counter Fraud team.

This post is full time (37.5 hours per week) and offers flexible working arrangements – including home working, optional pension scheme and a varied professional role where no two days are ever the same!

• Work with a Senior LCFS to ensure and assist in the development of appropriate governance frameworks in place to reduce the risk of fraud at organisations to an absolute minimum; ensure that those frameworks provide significant opportunity to detect and be able to prosecute fraud that occurs. The post holder is also required to respond to requests for information, specialist advice and guidance from senior managers and regulators of the organisations.
• Undertake proactive work including (but not limited to) educating staff at the organisations for which they are nominated about fraud so that they are able to identify fraud and know how to respond correctly; undertake nationally directed proactive exercises and deliver local risk based proactive exercises.
• Undertake criminal investigations complying with the requirements of criminal investigation legislation (including but not exclusively, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the Fraud Act 2006, Theft Act 1968, Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000).
• Support the Counter Fraud Manager in the team’s development of fraud risk assessments and service metrics to meet the requirements of the recently issued NHS Counter Fraud Authority functional standards.
• Support the team in the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud, corruption and bribery within the NHS and in the delivery of the Counter Fraud Service to ASW Assurance’s clients.

As the main counter fraud service provider to the NHS in the South West, ASW Assurance provides an excellent, value added service, which meets and exceeds the delivery of both national and local NHS counter fraud requirements.

ASW Assurance work is focused to ensure that fraud risks that may prevent the achievement of NHS organisations strategic objectives are kept to a minimum. The counter fraud work is pivotal in ensuring that the organisations specific fraud risks are identified and managed to prevent financial loss and protect the organisation’s reputation. We also deliver specialised security management consultancy services, and can provide a comprehensive, joined up, resilient anti-crime service.

As part of the NHS Contract organisations are required to have counter fraud arrangements in place to provide added value through the use of counter fraud specialists, the purpose of this role is primarily to deliver counter fraud investigations and value-added proactive work to a specified organisation.

Band 6 LCFS report to and are supervised by a specified Band 7 LCFS.

Expectations of the post holder fall into three distinct categories.

1. Work with a specified Band 7 LCFS to ensure and assist in the development of appropriate governance frameworks in place to reduce the risk of fraud at organisations to an absolute minimum; ensure that those frameworks provide significant opportunity to detect and be able to prosecute fraud that occurs. The post holder is also required to respond to requests for information, specialist advice and guidance from senior managers and regulators of the organisations.

2. Undertake proactive work including (but not limited to) educating staff at the organisations for which they are nominated about fraud so that they are able to identify fraud and know how to respond correctly; undertake nationally directed proactive exercises and deliver local risk based proactive exercises.

3. Undertake criminal investigations complying with the requirements of criminal investigation legislation (including but not exclusively, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the Fraud Act 2006, Theft Act 1968, Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000). Investigations range in complexity and whilst Band 6 LCFS are expected to be able to deal with less complex investigations, Band 7 LCFS may give instruction in respect of more complex issues. The Band 6 LCFS role may involve the preparation of prosecution files for the Crown Prosecution Service. Where appropriate, the post holder will liaise with multiple HR departments, regulators and other organisations where the case includes disciplinary and/or professional conduct matters.

Main duties of the job

• Under the guidance of the Band 7 Senior LCFS, the Band 6 LCFS is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the operational counter fraud service to prevent, detect and investigate fraud, corruption and bribery in line with NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) requirements
• As a counter fraud specialist, promote and maintain effective counter fraud arrangements for specified clients in accordance with the NHS Counter Fraud initiative, with NHSCFA and the Police
• To work in partnership with ASW Assurance audit colleagues and other external agencies in the key areas of counter fraud work as set out in Government Functional Standard 13 relating to Counter Fraud
• Identify and provide solutions to fraud risks in line with the Government Counter Fraud Profession Fraud Risk Assessment Methodology. Escalate risks in the event of insufficient mitigation and proactively track progress of fraud risk mitigation implementation
• Undertake the role of “Officer in charge” of investigations into less complex allegations and suspicions of fraud against client organisations. Complying at all times with relevant legislation including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• Participate in relevant internal and external working groups and provide project advice, expertise and support where requested
• Provide relevant and timely specialist advice and guidance on own portfolio of projects/function
• Work collaboratively with the Counter Fraud team and wider ASW Assurance teams to deliver agreed plans