Fraud in £61m stop smoking programme?

[empip]

...Counter-fraud specialists are investigating claims that pharmacists are stealing money from the NHS by fiddling figures on the number of people they have helped to give up smoking....

The Guardian has learned of inquiries in five primary care trusts in London into allegations that chemists have fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds, claiming cash rewards of up to £85 for each patient they help to stop smoking for at least four weeks.

The NHS counter-fraud team is considering a nationwide exercise to establish the extent of the problem....

At one trust the fraud being investigated is estimated at more than £15,000...

Anti-smoking charities have written to the chancellor to lobby for a simple monitoring system to scan pharmacists' claims and protect the government's £61m programme to help people give up cigarettes...

But surely an 'un-monitored' scheme is meant to offer a 'nod and a wink' to the odd (or more) backdoor profit lift?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Even a monitored scheme sounds ridiculous:
A) who's monitoring the monitors
B) what if the 'client' start smoking again??? Do pharmacists refund the 'failures'

This scheme surely wins the most stupid and money-wasting idea for the year?? (or decade?)

 

[empip]

Am guessing "claiming cash rewards of up to £85 for each patient they help to stop smoking for at least four weeks." P'raps they aint even helping, if you get my drift... maybe one enquires, they book you as helped without further ado.... That is what I meant - easy money !!

 

[WoodYouLike]

That is what I meant - easy money !!

That's what I mean: stupid scheme