Health worker used forged passport to claim bursary that allowed him to study and work as a nurse

A fraudster has been convicted of using a forged passport to obtain a NHS bursary which allowed him to study as a nurse.

Isleworth Crown Court heard Chidi Amaju completed a three year diploma in Child Nursing before going on to work for North West London Hospital NHS Trust through his scam.

The 41-year-old had produced a passport with a forged UK visa stamp claiming he has been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK which allowed him to claim a NHS bursary of �22,958 while he was studying.

The NHS also paid his tuition fees of �19,655.

From June 2009 until he resigned from his job in July last year, Amaju fraudulently earned �25,236 working for the hospital trust which manages Central Middlesex and Northwick Park Hospital.

He was eventually snared when his employers asked him to produce documents proofing his identity for a second time and noted his NI number differed from that show when he was first hired.

He admitted seven counts of fraud, theft and forgery and was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and pay �2,000 in compensation within a month.

Mick Hayes, Anti-Fraud Lead at NHS Protect, said: “Chidi Amaju was not eligible to take up a university place, to receive NHS funding, or to work in the NHS. Through his dishonesty, he may have denied another person these opportunities.

“NHS Protect will always follow up on allegations of fraud and, where appropriate, mount an investigation and press for the strongest possible action.”