A Nigerian woman living in the United Kingdom has been convicted after she worked in NHS hospitals using fake identification, despite having no formal medical training.
30-year-old Oluwabunmu Adeleiyi was living in Cardiff on a student visa and worked as a healthcare support worker at Neath Port Talbot Hospital and the Caswell Clinic in Bridgend.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Adeleiyi and two accomplices shared fake ID cards and used them to secure shifts through employment agencies, fraudulently billing the NHS about £16,000 every month.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation.
The court sentenced her to 10 months’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently. The sentence was suspended for two years, and she was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service.
The fraud came to light after hospital staff noticed irregularities on her ID card at the end of a night shift.
Investigations later revealed that Adeleiyi, who had no training in patient restraint, accessed confidential patient records and locked restricted wards.
Health officials told the court that her actions could have posed “catastrophic” risks to patients.