Local Counter Fraud Specialist

Integrated Care System; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is searching for a Local Counter Fraud Specialist to deliver operational counter fraud services. You will investigate fraud and enhance fraud resilience through proactive engagement. The ideal candidate will have a solid background in criminal investigations and excellent communication skills. This position offers flexible working options and the chance to make a tangible impact in preventing fraud within the NHS.

Benefits

Flexible working

Home or remote working options

Compressed hours

Qualifications

• Experience of criminal investigation with knowledge of police and criminal investigation procedures.
• Must understand systems and processes used in healthcare settings.
• Ability to prepare concise communications for stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Deliver operational counter fraud service to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud.
• Promote effective counter fraud arrangements and work with key stakeholders.
• Identify and provide solutions to fraud risks.

Skills

Criminal investigation experience

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Proficient IT skills

Education

Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist certificate

Degree educated or significant relevant experience

Tools

Data analysis software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Local Counter Fraud Specialist

The closing date is 31 August 2025

As part of the NHS Contract organisations are required to have counter fraud arrangements in place to provide added value through the use of counter fraud specialists, the purpose of this role is primarily to deliver counter fraud investigations and value-added proactive work to a specified organisation.

Band 6 LCFS report to and are supervised by a specified Band 7 LCFS.

Expectations of the post holder fall into three distinct categories.

• Work with a specified Band 7 LCFS to ensure and assist in the development of appropriate governance frameworks in place to reduce the risk of fraud at organisations to an absolute minimum; ensure that those frameworks provide significant opportunity to detect and be able to prosecute fraud that occurs. The post holder is also required to respond to requests for information, advice and guidance from senior managers and regulators of the organisations.
• Undertake proactive work including (but not limited to) educating staff at the organisations for which they are nominated about fraud so that they are able to identify fraud and know how to respond correctly; undertake nationally directed proactive exercises and deliver local risk based proactive exercise

Main duties of the job

• Under the guidance of the Band 7 Senior LCFS, the Band 6 LCFS is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the operational counter fraud service to prevent, detect and investigate fraud, corruption and bribery in line with NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) requirements
• As a counter fraud specialist, promote and maintain effective counter fraud arrangements for specified clients in accordance with the NHS Counter Fraud initiative, with NHSCFA and the Police
• To work in partnership with ASW Assurance audit colleagues and other external agencies in the key areas of counter fraud work as set out in Government Functional Standard 13 relating to Counter Fraud
• Identify and provide solutions to fraud risks in line with the Government Counter Fraud Profession Fraud Risk Assessment Methodology. Escalate risks in the event of insufficient mitigation and proactively track progress of fraud risk mitigation implementation
• Undertake the role of "Officer in charge" of investigations into less complex allegations and suspicions of fraud against client organisations. Complying at all times with relevant legislation including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• Participate in relevant internal and external working groups and provide project advice, expertise and support where requested

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

As the main counter fraud service provider to the NHS in the South West, ASW Assurance provides an excellent, value added service, which meets and exceeds the delivery of both national and local NHS counter fraud requirements.

ASW Assurance work is focused to ensure that fraud risks that may prevent the achievement of NHS organisations strategic objectives are kept to a minimum. The counter fraud work is pivotal in ensuring that the organisations specific fraud risks are identified and managed to prevent financial loss and protect the organisations reputation. We also deliver specialised security management consultancy services, and can provide a comprehensive, joined up, resilient anti-crime service.

The Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) focus is to:

• Implement and encourage an anti-fraud culture throughout specified organisations
• Provide operational support in delivering the counter fraud message to specified organisations
• Take positive action against fraud, including sanctions against perpetrators and recovery of any monies defrauded
• Participate in local and national proactive exercises
• Although the LCFS will primarily deliver work to a selection of ASW Assurance clients, there may be requirement for them to work across the wider ASW Assurance client group at times
• Meet and exceed the NHSCFA requirements
• Achieve successful outcomes from both criminal and civil proceedings

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

• Must have experience of criminal investigation with a current and specialist knowledge of police and criminal investigation procedures and legislation, and may be required to fulfil the role of "Officer in Charge" of investigations with the freedom to act and make decisions about how investigations are progressed
• Must be able to understand systems and processes used in healthcare settings, using that knowledge, deliver programs of proactive work to increase fraud resilience at specified organisations
• Experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment
• Ability to prepare and produce concise and insightful communications for dissemination to stakeholders at a variety of levels within an organisation as required
• Experience in using data analysis software and able to evidence its effective use

Skills and Abilities

• Well-developed interpersonal skills with excellent verbal and written comms skills
• Well-developed negotiation skills and able to influence others across a wide range of seniority
• Act with discretion and highly aware of and able to maintain confidentiality across all aspects of counter fraud work
• Able to use highly developed presentation skills to create and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders
• Able to produce clear and factual written reports covering detailed and complex subject matters for stakeholders and influential groups
• Ability to apply highly developed analytical and evaluation skills to complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources
• Demonstrate capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making
• Knowledge of Financial Systems e.g. monitoring budget management, processing invoices and procurement
• Demonstrates well developed organisational skills and capability to plan own work load over short, medium and long-term timeframes
• Proficient IT skills and in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office programs with intermediate keyboard skills
• Demonstrates capability to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships in terms of day-to-day working practices, which support and promote this agenda
• Awareness of information governance procedures
• Ability to travel independently within the ASW Assurance client area and further afield sometimes at short notice
• Demonstrated experience of delivering projects in complex and challenging environments

Qualifications and Training

• Possess an "Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist" certificate
• Degree educated and/or significant relevant specialist experience
• Minimum of 5 GCSE to include English Language at Grade C or above.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Full-time,Flexible working,Home or remote working,Compressed hours