Fraud accused nurse found guilty

A woman accused of lying about her experience and qualifications to get a job as a senior nurse in a unit for sick and premature babies has been found guilty of fraud.

Tanya Nasir, 45, from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, was accused of nine counts of fraud and false representation, which she denied.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court found her guilty of all nine counts of fraud as well as fraud by false representation.

Nasir told the world she was a highly qualified neonatal nurse, an Army combat medic who had been shot at twice in Afghanistan with a raft of clinical and academic qualifications.

The truth was that she was a liar and a fantasist who tricked bosses, colleagues and even close friends.

She has been given bail and will be sentenced on 24 September.

The mother of two became the ward manager at the neonatal unit at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend in September 2019.

Four months after she started work, the unit’s matron became suspicious after a check on Nasir’s nursing registration code showed she had qualified four years later than she stated on her application form.

The hospital began an investigation and it was discovered Nasir had spun a web of lies about her life and her nursing experience. She was suspended but she resigned two days before a hospital disciplinary hearing.

Nasir faked her reference for the neonatal manager’s post using an NHS email account belonging to Maureen Westphal, a nurse she had worked with at the Hillingdon Hospital in London.

In the reference she wrote that Ms Westphal had been her line manager. That was untrue. Ms Westphal had left her full time post 10 months before the reference was written but her email account remained active because she was still a casual staff member.

When she was interviewed by NHS Counter Fraud Investigators Maureen Westphal said she had not written the reference.

In a statement, the Hillingdon Hospital said, “Ms Westphal’s email access remained active due to her ongoing affiliation with our staff bank system.

“Regarding Ms Nasir, our records show no formal concerns were raised about her qualifications or experience.

“Our standard recruitment process, which includes thorough verification of references and qualifications, was followed in this case.

“We are committed to continuously reviewing and improving our procedures to maintain the highest standards of patient care and safety.”

Nasir also told the hospital in Bridgend she had spent five years working in the neonatal unit of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London but that was not true.

When Nasir’s home in Brecon was searched by police after her arrest in April 2021, fake certificates and diplomas were discovered.

Nasir told the interview panel at the Princess of Wales Hospital she was a member of the Army Reserve.

She had briefly been an adult volunteer with the Army Cadet Force, but she failed a fitness test to join the Army.

The court heard from the Army, who said she has never served with them or the Army Reserve. It was also confirmed she had never been deployed overseas as an adult volunteer.

During her job interview, she asked if the hospital would allow her time off during the summer of 2020 to attend an Army Training Camp on the Indian Ocean Island of Diego Garcia.

She said she had also served in Haiti, Syria, Kosovo, Kenya and Iraq.

She also claimed to have worked with charities including Oxfam and the Red Cross in warzones. The charities said there were no records of her working with them.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s Gayle Ramsay said: “Tanya Nasir deliberately lied about her qualifications and employment history so that she could gain employment in a senior and sensitive nursing role where she would be entrusted with the responsibility of caring for newborn babies.”

She also showed a “total disregard for the welfare and safety of vulnerable patients, putting their lives at significant risk”, the statement said.

Paul Mears, Chief Executive of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: “During the very short time that Ms Nasir was employed and present in her largely office based role at Princess of Wales Hospital, her contact with babies and their families was extremely minimal.

“Following a thorough internal investigation, we can provide firm assurance to families, who were with us at that time, that no harm was caused due to Ms Nasir’s employment on the neonatal unit,” he added.