GovWire

This Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) counter-fraud strategy provides a co-ordinated activity programme that aims to tackle the underlying factors which allow fraud to be committed by:

• improving the building and sharing of counter-fraud knowledge
• tackling the most harmful threats
• disrupting and punishing fraudsters
• enhancing our long-term capability to prevent fraud

The new strategy builds on our existing vision and has a greater emphasis on better use of data by:

• exploring new data sets and analysis methods
• expanding relationships across and beyond DHSC
• making better use of knowledge, experience and resources

It focuses on 4 main areas:

• proactivity and prevention
• using digital and data analytics
• collaboration and co-ordination
• response and enforcement

Counter-fraud work at a national level is led by the DHSC Anti-Fraud Unit (AFU), which works to prevent and deter fraud, bribery and corruption. The AFU also sponsors the work of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, the arms length body responsible for tackling fraud in the NHS.

This strategy is aimed at officials at DHSC, but will be relevant to arms length bodies and organisations across the wider health group in developing and informing their own strategies.