'Shameful' recruitment consultant faked CVs and references so inexperienced foreign doctors could get locum jobs in British hospitals and put patients at risk

A recruitment consultant created fake references for foreign doctors in a 'potentially dangerous' scam to secure them locum jobs at British hospitals.
Seven locum doctors were employed by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust on the basis of Ross Etherson's misleading documents, a court heard.
Etherson, 34, of Balham, south London, had altered the CVs and made up references after 'being drawn into a culture of deceit' while working for Midas Medical Recruitment in Chiswick, London.
The scam was estimated to have cost the NHS £37,186.
Judge Robin Johnson told Isleworth Crown Court: 'It is fortunate that there is no occasion where such lack of experience on behalf of one of these doctors impacted on the health of a patient.
'But that was purely down to luck.' 

Etherson pleaded guilty to 21 counts of making or supplying articles for use in fraud. He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 12 months, to be served concurrently for each of the 21 counts. 
The judge said the case raised concerns about a lack of thorough checks by hospitals and GP surgeries into the backgrounds of their locum doctors.
He said: 'The facts of this case reveal that some responsible NHS managers carried out proper checks on doctors and revealed this fraud. Such managers are to be commended.
'However, there are other instances where doctors were appointed where not only were CVs false but that references were given from fictitious persons - generally from imaginary consultants.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2970728/Shameful-recruitment-consultant-faked-CVs-references-inexperienced-foreign-doctors-locum-jobs-British-hospitals-patients-risk.html#ixzz3SwLAEBth 
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Should have been jailed.

We don't know how many are here all ready!

nicko wrote:We don't know how many are here all ready!

That is the real worry.

You use a consultant and pay out sums of money and presumably trust the consultant then you double check credentials yourself, why not just do it yourself at the hospital in the first place. The consultant is the criminal but yet again the blame is shared out to hospitals not double checking, same old British justice.
As for the consultant something like 20 years would have been more appropriate considering the damage that he may have inflicted on people through these bogus or ill qualified medics. Courts need to show some spine and make examples of these people and inflict harsher punishments, this kind of thing if the consultant is British is tantamount to treason to the British people not just fraud.

Flix wrote:You use a consultant and pay out sums of money and presumably trust the consultant then you double check credentials yourself, why not just do it yourself at the hospital in the first place. The consultant is the criminal but yet again the blame is shared out to hospitals not double checking, same old British justice.
As for the consultant something like 20 years would have been more appropriate considering the damage that he may have inflicted on people through these bogus or ill qualified medics. Courts need to show some spine and make examples of these people and inflict harsher punishments, this kind of thing if the consultant is British is tantamount to treason to the British people not just fraud.

Deliberately putting the public's life in danger should warrant a life sentence.

wyatt1 wrote:
Deliberately putting the public's life in danger should warrant a life sentence.

Hardly surprising this stuff takes place when you've got corruption at every level, and where's the justice?,, instead of the state using blackmail as foreign policy why does it not just come out and directly prosecute these criminals, perhaps it's because most of them are funding the tories and the media.

Only the rich and powerful can get away with crime and this is an increasing demonstration of their power,,,,but here, sadly here,,,on this forum,,,the focus is on the immigrant,,,,blinkered or what!

scrat wrote:
Hardly surprising this stuff takes place when you've got corruption at every level, and where's the justice?,, instead of the state using blackmail as foreign policy why does it not just come out and directly prosecute these criminals, perhaps it's because most of them are funding the tories and the media.

Only the rich and powerful can get away with crime and this is an increasing demonstration of their power,,,,but here, sadly here,,,on this forum,,,the focus is on the immigrant,,,,blinkered or what!

Too true