Grimsby doctor suspended over staff pension failings
WOMAN ADMITTED KNOWING THAT CORRECT CONTRIBUTIONS HAD NOT BEEN MADE
A GRIMSBY doctor has been suspended after being found to have incorrectly handled employees’ pensions.
Dr Reeta Singh has been suspended for one month following an investigation by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). Dr Singh was alleged to have failed to properly set up the NHS pension scheme and put staff contributions into said scheme whilst managing Ashwood Surgery Limited, now known as Weelsby View Health Centre on Ladysmith Road, Grimsby. The incidents are said to have occurred between November 2012 up to August 2015, during which employees raised concerns with Dr Singh.
Prior to the hearing, she admitted to not complying with NHS pension regulations having not sent information to the Business Service Authority or keeping the relevant records of employees’ wages.
She also admitted knowing that the correct contributions to pensions had not been made.
The tribunal was presented with a number of forms of evidence, including witness statements from previous employees as well as emails and letters.
It went on to state that emails and correspondence from staff showed that correct procedures were not in place and that any system that was in place was not effective enough. Dr Singh had also received an email in November 2012 from NHS Pensions informing her that payment contributions were months behind. She received a further email in January 2013 stating that ‘immediate’ action was required with contributions having not been paid since November 2012. Forwarding the email to her husband and co-owner of the practice, known as Mr C, she said: “I don’t understand this can you action e-mail but can you action it please xx.”
Giving evidence, she explained that anything to do with the operational matters or finance of the practice went to Mr C. However, the tribunal concluded that as sole PMS Contract holder, she was responsible for the problem being resolved.
A Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract is an operational agreement between NHS England and a GP practice.
Dr Singh continued to receive emails up until August 2015 about the unpaid pensions from NHS England where she was informed that her case would be escalated were in not resolved within 14 days.
In 2019, Dr Singh accepted that the total amount of unpaid pension contributions stood at £24,723.40. In the same year, she came to an agreement with NHS Pensions team that the money owed could be deducted from her own pension. Earlier this year, a tribunal could not find proven that Dr Singh had acted dishonestly, nor that she understood enough about the NHS Pensions Scheme or the surgery’s financial affairs to know that by underpaying pensions, the surgery was keeping hold of money it was not entitled to.
In a further hearing earlier this month, as a result of the findings, she was suspended for one month with no further action.