Faith Chareka, an emergency department nurse at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, was permanently struck off after a fitness‑to‑practice panel found she added 50 fictitious shifts worth £19,575.41 and accrued 540 hours of unearned TOIL. The misconduct spanned from November 2020 to February 2023 and led to an 18‑month suspended sentence.

£19,575 Fraudulent Shift Claims Exposed

According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee report, Chareka manipulated the hospital’s rostering system to record night, weekend and bank‑holiday shifts she never worked, inflating her earnings at enhanced rates. The total financial gain of £19,575.41 was recovered thrrough payroll, but the trust still faced staffing gaps.

540 Hours of Unworked TOIL Burdened Colleagues

The panel highlighted that Chareka also claimed 540 hours of time‑off‑in‑lieu, forcing other nurses to cover the shorfall.. Rosie Welsh, the NMC case presenter, warned that this not only strained already stertched emergency sevices but also risked patient safety through understaffing.

Legal Consequences and Rehabilitation Requirements

During criminal proceedings, the judge described the conduct as “repeated and premeditated dishonesty.” Chareka pleaded guilty in 2024, receiving an 18‑month suspended sentence, 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work, as reported by the court documents.

Impact on NHS Trust Finances Amid Pandemic Pressures

The fraud occurred while the NHS was coping with COVID‑19‑related financial strain, amplifying concerns about resource allocation.. the trust dismissed Chareka in 2023 after an internal investigation, but the loss of nearly £20,000 added to the budgetary challenges highlighted by NHS England.

Who Remains Unanswered: The Full Scope of Patient Risk?

The NMC panel noted potential patient risk but did not quantify any specific incidents of delayed care. it remains unclear how many emergency department cases were directly affected by the staffing shortfall caused by the fraudulent TOIL claims.