A doctor has been struck off after he fiddled his time sheets to falsely claim more than £40,000 from the NHS. Dr Rajeev Reghunath faked signatures to claim he was working eight hour shifts when in fact he was on holiday in India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Between April 2019 and March 2021 the locum psychiatrist, who worked in Trafford doing shifts for Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust via the Pulse Healthcare agency, claimed for 35 eight hour shifts for which he was paid around £1,300 a time.
In April 2019 he claimed for three shifts, despite being in Turkey, while in June that year he submitted timesheets for four shifts while in the United Arab Emirates.
And, in February and March 2021 he claimed for 20 shifts, despite being in India, where he is thought to remain to this day.
At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing, Dr Reghunath was found guilty of serious professional misconduct with his actions said to be 'unacceptable and dishonest'. The tribunal ruled that as Dr Reghunath was 'out of the UK on holiday' he knew he had not worked the hours he claimed.
Much of the wrongdoing took place during covid restrictions. But while Dr Reghunath carried out consultations via video calls or over the phone he wasn't permitted to work while outside Greater Manchester. The scam was uncovered after the doctor had left the UK on a one way flight to Bangalore in February 2021.
An internal investigation report said: "Concerns were raised about a number of days claimed to have been worked. RR and Pulse Agency had conversations with RR over email and text message regarding the submitted timesheets in which he admits to not being entitled to have been paid for the shifts. RR offered to repay the overpaid monies in full."
Harriet Tighe, on behalf of the General Medical Council, said Dr Reghunath repeatedly submitted false timesheets over a prolonged period of time, falsified signatures in relation to submitted timesheets when he was out of the country and defrauded the Trust out of thousands of pounds through his dishonest actions.
In WhatsApp messages seen by the tribunal Dr Reghunath described it as a 'grave and terrible thing to do'. He wrote: "It was a mistake from my end, apologies and do let medical staffing to let me know how I can pay it back to their account."
When asked why he submitted the timesheets when not in work, he replied on WhatsApp: "The agency said I am entitled to some holiday pay as I am now working directly for the Trust. I know it's a grave and terrible thing to do, when I found out I may not have much to go with… not thinking straight, not giving any excuses, just a big sorry.
"Pls do let me know how I can repay every last penny I made and also feel free to report me to the Trust/GMC as you please, it's my mistake and take full responsibility for all the mistakes. Whatever you decide to do, I will take that as my penance … so anything bad, I am willing to take now."
But, the tribunal heard, Dr Reghunath later retracted those apologies, claiming he had not sent the messages. That showed he had 'failed to recognise the impact of his misconduct and dishonesty on others and the public’s confidence in the profession', the tribunal ruled.
Dr Reghunath was not present at the hearing. In an email sent to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service on July 31, 2023, he said he no longer had a permanent address in the UK. He is thought to be living in India.
Ordering Dr Reghunath be struck off the register, the tribunal said had 'demonstrated repeated dishonesty and attempted to cover-up his dishonesty over a two year period'. It ruled Dr Reghunath's actions 'fell so far short of the standards reasonably to be expected of a doctor as to amount to serious misconduct'.
