Sarah Oakes was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this year
Sarah Oakes was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this year
A nurse who defrauded hospitals out of tens of thousands of pounds has been suspended from the profession. Sarah Oakes falsified sick notes when working at Whiston Hospital and used the fraudulent notes to visit far flung locations like Cuba. She pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this year.
After she escaped jail time and walked away with a suspended sentence, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has moved to suspend Oakes for 12 months, preventing her from working in healthcare throughout that period. A hearing was held to discuss her conviction last month.
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As first reported in May, when she worked at Whiston Hospital in 2019, Oakes, of Runcorn, said she was too sick to work and required surgery. However, notes issued to her employer proved to be false.
During this time, Oakes posted on Facebook about trips to Cuba despite purporting to be in pain, having provided documents from a non-existent Dr Blake. One of these excursions saw her travel to meet her then boyfriend, while the second journey was undertaken in order to marry him.
Liverpool Crown Court was told in May how later that year, she provided a false reference to Warrington Hospital when applying for a job there.
The mum-of-four’s employment at the new hospital continued until 2021 when she was dismissed. During this time she was said to have taken long periods of sickness and did not work consistent hours.
The court heard how the scam cost the hospital trusts around £30,000. This summer, Oakes was sentenced to 14 months in prison suspended for two years, during which time she was ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
As a result of her conviction, the Nursing and Midwifery Council also launched an investigation of its own. A short document made public relating to a hearing held in private on October 2-3, said a three-person panel had found her fitness to practise as a nurse was impaired.
Oakes had previously been the subject of an 18-month interim suspension. This has now been confirmed as a full 12-month suspension in which she is not permitted to work in the health sector across Cheshire or Merseyside until it is completed.
