Two Pharmacists Jailed for £1.3 Million NHS Fraud

Two pharmacists have been sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for defrauding the National Health Service (NHS) of approximately £1.3 million through fake prescriptions for expensive cancer and leukemia medications. Jignesh Patel, 46, and Rahil Patel, 42, were found guilty of multiple fraud charges and converting criminal property between 2014 and 2017.

Investigators discovered that Wise Pharmacy, owned by Jignesh Patel, had submitted 1,639 fraudulent prescriptions using the identities of hundreds of real patients. The scheme involved two high-value drugs: Sprycel, used to treat leukemia, and Noxafil, used to treat fungal infections during chemotherapy. These prescriptions were then allegedly processed through Actipharm Limited, a wholesale pharmacy supplier directed by Jignesh Patel and where Rahil Patel was employed.

The fraud came to light when Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group identified discrepancies between pharmacy prescriptions and patient records. An investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority confirmed that Wise Pharmacy was dispensing significantly more of these specialized drugs than expected. In total, the fake prescriptions involved 440 patients, 24 GPs, and 6,983 dispensed items across four NHS areas: Barnet, Enfield, Newham, and Tower Hamlets.

During sentencing, Judge Justin Cole stated that the fraud deprived the NHS of substantial funds and was committed for personal greed, with the intention of reselling the drugs on the open market. While no identifiable harm was caused to individual patients beyond the misuse of their identities, the judge noted the broader harm to the community. The court heard that Actipharm made around £780,000 by selling the defrauded drugs to two wholesalers in the European Union.

Jignesh Patel and Rahil Patel were each sentenced to six years in prison and disqualified from acting as company directors for six years. They will serve half of their sentences in custody. Police seized £190,000 from Jignesh Patel's properties following his arrest in December 2017. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority intends to recover the stolen funds.