Suspended sentence for NHS manager who lied on his CV

A senior NHS manager who lied on his CV has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence and told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.

Hasan Tahsin, former head of estates and capital projects at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, made fraudulent claims about his qualifications and memberships of professional bodies when he applied to several posts at five NHS trusts between March 2004 and March 2009. The skills required, including project management and estates management, were essential for each position.

Tahsin was discovered following an audit of senior managers' qualifications for the trust. He was arrested and interviewed by the NHS Counter-Fraud Service in May 2009, when he admitted he had lied to get the jobs - which fraudulently earned him £245,246 during five years.

Tahsin, 54, of Chadwell Heath in Romford, Essex, held responsible positions within the NHS dating back to 1990.

Investigating officer Alan McGill, of the NHS Counter-Fraud Service, said: "It is regrettable that Tahsin managed to secure senior management posts within the NHS for so long. Such deceptions are the exception and the vast majority of NHS staff are of high integrity.

"This case demonstrates that when suspicions of fraud are brought to the attention of the NHS Counter-Fraud Service, we will thoroughly investigate and, where fraud is found, will seek to prosecute."

The case follows that of senior NHS HR manager Kerrie Devine, of Lympstone, Devon, who lied on her CV by claiming she held a degree in HR management and was part way through a CIPD course. Devine was given a six-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay £9,600 in compensation.