Practice owner pays the penalty for fraud

Evelyn Saunders arranged for domiciliary eye examinations from the Belmont Eye Centre, Sutton, Surrey, Croydon Crown Court was told. Prosecuting counsel John Blair-Gould said the 1997 and 1998 appointments involved NHS tests, only available to those receiving income support. However, Ms Saunders' patients were not asked if, in fact, they were on income support and Ms Saunders would claim for the fees. Ms Saunders was said to have been working in co-operation with two doctors, one of whom - ophthalmologist Dr Khan Manzur - was convicted by Bromley magistrates for false claims last year and fined &\#163;7,500. He was struck off the Medical Register in March this year following his conviction (News, March 9). Proceedings against the other, Purley-based Dr Syed Rizvi, have been dropped after a psychiatrist reported he was not well enough to stand trial. Mr Blair-Gould said: 'One of the doctors would do the eye test and would say the patient needed new spectacles or a change of spectacles. 'Mrs Saunders would provide them with one pair and claim she had provided two pairs. In some cases a patient did not want the pair, but she would state she had provided them.' In this way she collected several fees to which she was not entitled. Ms Saunders admitted to 15 charges of false accounting and asked for 69 other offences to be taken into consideration. She has repaid the &\#163;4,947 requested in restitution by Bromley Health Authority. Defending counsel Edward Fitzpatrick said Ms Saunders had debts totalling &\#163;37,000 and the bank was seeking to cut her &\#163;17,000 overdraft to &\#163;3,000. Her relationship with her partner had broken down and she was living in a bed-sit. 'It is feared her business will fail because of these debts,' he said. Ms Saunders was ordered to pay &\#163;300 costs by the court.