Trusted hospital chief ‘doctored documents’

A TRUSTED manager at the Royal Oldham Hospital stole from his employers by doctoring purchase orders, a court has been told.

John White (45) altered documentation to include personal items worth more than £3,000 which were paid for by health service funds, and delivered to him over about eight months, a jury heard.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told that White, who was the hospital’s maintenance manager took advantage of weaknesses in the admin system, and senior management’s trust in him.

He was said to have been caught when a regular supply company contacted Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust querying non-payment of an order, quoting a reference that did not exist.

Ben Lawrence, prosecuting, said White used various methods to order personal items, including substituting them for bona fide hospital supplies that matched the price.

Mr Lawrence said one order showed items including 300 fluorescent tubes, but they had been replaced by an expensive iPad when delivery was made. The same ruse was used on other occasions, he said.

He also contacted one supplier by telephone to add items that had not been part of an already approved purchase order, the court heard.

The jury was told that White, of Newstead, Fallinge, Rochdale, ordered a laptop, two iPads, a Samsung 32-inch TV set, an electric drill, and two microwaves ­— always stipulating that any inquiries should be addressed to him, and deliveries made to him at the hospital.

Mr Lawrence told the jury the likely motive had been financial gain, as White had been under severe financial pressure.

His wife referred to their being “skint” in an email to him, the court was told.

White has pleaded not guilty to seven separate counts of fraud between May 2012, and January 2013, but admitted that one iPad he had ordered was for his own use, and he had intended to pay for it.

The court was told when challenged he at denied knowing anything about it, but then said it had been a private purchase and he would deal with it.

Shortly afterwards he was challenged about two TV sets missing from hospital maintenance, and he admitted borrowing one, because his daughter had smashed the screen of her set. He was asked to return the set and did, but denied knowing anything about the second television.

An investigation subsequently held by a fraud officer revealed irregularities in seven different purchase orders placed by White who had worked at the hospital for around seven years.

The jury was told the key question is who tinkered with the purchase orders, but Mr Lawrence said they will hear “powerful evidence” to convince them it was White.

He said that if he was innocent, he could not have failed to spot discrepancies in deliveries, particularly in three cases where orders for large quantities of lighting tubes had been switched for expensive electrical items.

White has claimed that a senior boss at the hospital is waging a vendetta against him.

(Proceeding)