Private contractor 'falsified healthcare figures'

A private healthcare contractor providing NHS services manipulated its figures when reporting on targets it had failed to meet, according to figures released by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The independent watchdog investigated Serco for its out-of-hours GP service in Cornwall and published a report on the matter today (March 7th).

Several whistleblowers told the Guardian newspaper last May that they had concerns that patients were being put at risk because of severe short-staffing and the data it was releasing regarding performance was incorrect and misleading.

In response to these reports, the NAO was asked to investigate the service by Margaret Hodge, the chair of the parliamentary public accounts committee.

The report suggests Serco staff falsified figures on 252 separate occasions. The company admitted this is "unacceptable" and blamed it on the actions of two individuals who are no longer employed by the company.

Labelling the actions "disgraceful", Ms Hodge said: " This tampering presented a false, much rosier picture of its poor performance."

The release of the report comes just days after the government performed a u-turn and recalled planned legislation to open up NHS services to more private companies.

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