The United Kingdom’s (UK) Health Service fraud watchdog has secured the conviction of Nigerian doctor Richard Akinrolabu for falsely claiming he was unfit to work while taking on night and on-call shifts at other hospitals, defrauding the National Health Service of £268,000.
Akinrolabu, a trust-grade specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Princess Royal University Hospital, misrepresented his availability between 2018 and 2021.
He repeatedly told his employer he could not handle night shifts due to illness but was working those same shifts at other NHS trusts.
According to a statement published on the NHS Counter Fraud Authority website, “A former NHS resident doctor has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to defrauding the NHS out of more than £268,000, following an NHS Counter Fraud Authority investigation. Between October 2018 and December 2021, he worked on-call and night shifts at three additional trusts, despite informing his employer that he was unfit to do the same work for them.”
The statement explained that he continued to earn his full salary from King’s College Hospital while the trust paid locum doctors to cover the shifts he refused. It added, “He worked these shifts whilst on sick leave or on reduced duties from King’s College Hospital. As well as paying Dr Akinrolabu his full salary, the trust had to employ locums to cover these shifts.”
According to the statement, the misconduct came to light in November 2021 when King’s College Hospital received information that he had been working night shifts at Basildon Hospital.
A local counter-fraud check confirmed that he had taken several on-call shifts without approval. This discovery triggered a wider, independent investigation by the NHSCFA, which gathered timesheets and employment records from the additional trusts. He was invited for an interview in 2022 but declined to comment.
Akinrolabu was later charged with four counts of fraud by false representation at Woolwich Crown Court. Evidence showed he neither sought nor obtained permission for secondary employment and worked the same duties he claimed he was medically unable to perform.
He pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025, and was sentenced on November 4. During the sentencing, His Honour Judge David Miller said, “You lied to occupational health, your colleagues, and your employer. The public doesn’t expect doctors to lie for personal gain.”
Ben Harrison, NHSCFA Head of Operations, added, “This case highlights a deliberate abuse of trust by a healthcare professional. By misrepresenting his availability and working additional shifts, Akinrolabu defrauded the NHS of significant funds intended for patient care. The NHSCFA remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who exploit the health service.”
Source: Sahelstandard
