CCDHB defends worker screening

The Capital and Coast District Health Board remains confident in its employee screening process despite allowing a fraudster to take up a role as payroll manager.

Jason Brown was employed by the health board in late 2016, less than a year after he left his previous role at NZ Bus when it was discovered he had fleeced the company out of more than $128,000.

Brown then began defrauding the health board, conning it out of more than $42,000 by paying employees’ money into his own bank account. He was sentenced in October to two years’ jail for his first instance of offending.

A further six months was added to his sentence for the health board fraud.

Despite the fraudster seemingly slipping through the cracks to take up its payroll position, the health board saw no flaws in its screening system.

‘‘We remain confident in our screening processes,’’ Capital and Coast corporate services general manager Thomas Davis said.

‘‘We will continue to reference check and utilise Ministry of Justice or police checks, and have no plan to make changes.’’

Davis said the board would not ‘‘knowingly’’ employ someone with a criminal history that would impact on his or her role.

‘‘During the recruitment process, candidates are required to declare any criminal convictions including those that are pending,’’ he added.

‘‘All new staff are screened. This includes reference checking, a police or Ministry of Justice check, and depending on the role, may include a credit check or safety check in terms of the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014.’’

Brown committed the fraud by paying employees’ money into his own account and organising any overtime payments to come to him.

Ten employees were affected. He pleaded guilty to 10 charges of theft and obtaining money by deception.

Jane Bryson, an associate professor in human resource management at Victoria University, was surprised that Brown’s history was not revealed during the health board’s background checks, assuming one of its representatives had spoken directly with NZ Bus.

‘‘If you’re ... asking enough questions, that sort of thing should come up, even if they don’t reveal it directly.’’