The director of a fire safety company that falsely claimed to be accredited in its bids for large NHS contracts has been convicted of fraud by false representation.
An investigation by NHS Protect, responsible for highlighting and preventing crime in the NHS, revealed that Cotswold Fire Group (CFG) had lied about its accredited status in bids to the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Director Julian Price pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at Gloucester Crown Court and sentenced to a 40-week suspended sentence, 150 hour community service order and costs of £1500.
CFG held a contract with the Gloucestershire NHS trust between November 2007 and October 2008 to supply and service fire extinguishers, however this contract was terminated as the trust were unhappy with the quality of service.
In February 2008, Price submitted two more bids to provide maintenance of fire alarms and emergency lighting for the same trust. Both bids for the contract, worth £290,000 over 5 years, were unsuccessful.
Price claimed in his bids to be accredited by the Electrical Contractors’ Association but, according to NHS Protect, submitted an incomplete certificate which did not name his or any other company. The company also claimed to be certificated by the Security Systems Alarms Inspection Board.
Both of these claims were proven to be false in investigations by NHS Protect and Price was arrested in February 2010.
He initially pleaded not guilty at a hearing in May 2011, before changing his plea to guilty in March of this year.
Mick Hayes, anti-fraud lead investigator for NHS Protect, said that the NHS and the public expect “total integrity” from contractors charged with keeping hospitals safe.
He said, “It is very serious that Julian Price and his Cotswold Fire Group attempted to provide services to the NHS using false qualifications and accreditations. These standards and systems exist with good reason.
“Fraud is a crime, and NHS Protect will examine all allegations of fraud against the NHS, and wherever appropriate, will launch a criminal investigation and press for the strongest sanctions.”
