Zimbabwean nurse struck off register in the UK

A nurse who fraudulently claimed almost £20,000 by recording shifts she never worked has been struck off the nursing register following a criminal conviction for fraud.

Faith Chareka, who was employed in the emergency department at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, was found to have manipulated staff rosters over a period of more than two years to secure payments and time off to which she was not entitled.

According to a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness-to-practise committee report, Chareka added 50 shifts to work rosters between November 2020 and February 2023. While some of the shifts attracted standard pay rates, most were paid at enhanced rates typically reserved for night shifts, weekends and public holidays.

The fraudulent claims resulted in Chareka receiving £19,575.41 in payments and accumulating 540 hours of time off in lieu (TOIL) without working the corresponding hours.

During sentencing, the court found that Chareka had engaged in "repeated and premeditated dishonesty over a period of two years". She pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position in 2024 and was sentenced to an 18-month suspended prison term. The sentence also included a requirement to complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours of unpaid community work.

Chareka had already been dismissed by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust in 2023 following an internal investigation.

Presenting the case before the NMC, Rosie Welsh said the offences were committed against "a publicly funded NHS body already under financial pressure". She argued that Chareka's actions not only caused financial losses but also created potential risks to patient care by exposing the emergency department to possible understaffing and placing additional strain on colleagues and the wider service.

The NMC panel heard that Chareka's conduct involved retrospectively adding shifts to the roster for personal and financial gain, including the dishonest acquisition of TOIL. The panel noted that the trust was deprived of substantial funds during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, a period when NHS resources were already under severe pressure.

"The panel was concerned about the potential impact of your conduct on patient services and the workforce," the report stated. "Your dishonest receipt of TOIL meant that rather than you working the shifts, the shifts would need to be covered by others. The panel concluded that your conduct could have had a direct impact on human resources and the financial position of the trust."

Welsh told the hearing that a striking-off order was the only sanction capable of maintaining public confidence in the nursing profession and reflecting the seriousness of the misconduct.

In mitigation, Chareka's representative, Alexandra Monaghan, said the nurse had shown genuine remorse, developed insight into the gravity of her actions and repeatedly apologised for her conduct. Monaghan also argued that disciplinary sanctions should not be used as an additional punishment, noting that Chareka had already been dealt with by the criminal courts.

Despite these submissions, the panel determined that removal from the register was necessary to protect public confidence in the profession and uphold professional standards.

The NMC has imposed a striking-off order against Chareka. However, because the sanction cannot take effect until the expiry of the 28-day appeal period, the panel also imposed an interim suspension order for 18 months to cover any potential appeal process.