Fraud and Security Management Service
Business journey
The Fraud and Security Management Service is an NHS hosted service based in Hampshire and has been providing Fraud and Security Management Specialists to NHS organisations in and around Hampshire since 2001.
Originally named the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Counter Fraud Service, the business was formed by a number of Hampshire NHS Primary Care Trusts and Hospital Trusts, following the publication of the Secretary of State’s Directions for Countering Fraud in the NHS. We have since provided Local Counter Fraud Specialists to the majority of NHS organisations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
In 2013 the business expanded to offer and deliver security management services, and in 2022 the service expanded further to offer internal fact-finding, disciplinary or root cause analysis investigation services.
The Fraud and Security Management Service is hosted by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. It is operated on a cost-neutral ‘not for profit’ basis, meaning that every business decision is made purely for the benefit of the service’s client organisations.
Achievements
The service is recognised as a leading provider of fraud and security management services in the NHS. We have a long and proven history of effective collaborative working with our client organisations to increase awareness and identify the major risks. By effective liaison with key stakeholders we take action to reduce those risks and prevent instances of crime. The team has an excellent track record of protecting staff and budgets, investigating where necessary and achieving sanctions.
We have worked with client organisations to ensure that NHS Counter Fraud Authority Standards are implemented, resulting in overall green ratings on each organisation’s Annual Self Review Tool return to the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.
We were instrumental in setting up the Wessex Area Security Partnership whose membership includes Local Security Management Specialists from across the Wessex area, sharing best practice and working collaboratively to combat common threats.
We work closely with the NHS Counter Fraud Authority and our expertise has been used to inform national policy. Our team members have been invited to participate in the Counter Fraud Authority Engagement and Improvement Group which they have attended regularly.
We have worked extensively with a local Hospital Trust on a ‘Respect and Protect’ project; a major initiative aimed at reducing violence and aggression against staff.
Our communications have received recognition for their quality from the NHS Counter Fraud Authority Senior Media Relations Officer and from Managing Directors of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.
The team have previously received an NHS award for excellence and achievement, and have been shortlisted in three award categories as part of the Public Sector Counter Fraud Awards, 2024 and 2025.
Meet the Team
The Fraud and Security Management Team are all highly qualified and experienced.
Samantha Willoughby
Head of Fraud and Security Management
Accredited Counter Fraud Manager
Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist
Accredited Security Management Specialist
Samantha is an experienced Fraud and Security Specialist having worked in the field since 1995. Samantha worked as a Benefit Fraud Investigator, fraud trainer and mentor for the Department for Work and Pensions in Hemel Hempstead, Watford, St Albans, Portsmouth and Basingstoke. In 2007 Samantha became the manager of the Department for Work and Pensions Central Prosecutions Unit.
Accreditation as a Counter Fraud Specialist and Counter Fraud Manager were achieved in the early 2000’s with the University of Portsmouth.
Samantha joined the NHS as a Local Counter Fraud Specialist in 2008 and has worked as a nominated Local Counter Fraud Specialist and Local Security Management Specialist to both provider and commissioning clients in Hampshire. Samantha has been Head of the Fraud and Security Management Service since 2013.
Samantha sits on the national Counter Fraud Managers Group which aims to share best practice amongst NHS fraud specialists. Samantha is also a member of Hampshire Constabulary’s Strategic Fraud Partnership and has been featured on the BBC1 television programme: Fraud Squad.
In 2018 Samantha successfully achieved accreditation as a Security Management Specialist with the University of Portsmouth and in 2022 Samantha completed the ACAS Conducting Investigations course and is currently the lead Security Management Specialist for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board.
Tracy Brislen
Business Support Officer
Accredited Security Management Specialist
Prior to joining the NHS, Tracy worked in a variety of project management roles within the corporate sector and most recently in the third sector as a Business Development Manager for 11 years.
She joined the NHS in 2016, starting with the Fraud & Security Management Service in November 2016. Tracy completed Security Management Specialist training in June 2018 achieving accreditation from the University of Portsmouth and in 2022 Tracy completed the ACAS Conducting Investigations course.
Alec Gaines
Professional Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist
Accredited Security Management Specialist
Alec is an experienced fraud specialist having worked as a fraud professional in the public sector since 1999.
Alec worked as a team leader with the benefit fraud teams in Lewisham and Southampton and was accredited as a Counter Fraud Specialist by the University of Portsmouth in 2002. He joined the NHS as a Local Counter Fraud Specialist in 2003, and has worked as a nominated lead Local Counter Fraud Specialist to both provider and commissioning clients in Hampshire. He is currently the lead Local Counter Fraud Specialist for two large Hospital Trusts.
Alec has had significant success in forging and developing local relationships with other law enforcement agencies including the Police, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office. Alec has advised the Department for Health at national level on policy review and has been an invited speaker at regional Local Counter Fraud Specialist meetings providing guidance and advice to his peers on quality. He has also appeared on local and national radio as a fraud expert. In 2024 Alec’s proposal for a methodology for recording notional prevented fraud losses was endorsed by the NHSCFA and will be presented to Cabinet Office in September 2024, with the potential to be rolled out across all government departments as national policy.
In 2018 Alec successfully achieved the Security Management Specialist accreditation approved by the University of Portsmouth. In 2019 Alec was awarded the status of Professional Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist by the University of Portsmouth and in 2022 Alec completed the ACAS Conducting Investigations course.
Karen Travers
Professional Graduate Counter Fraud Specialist
Accredited Security Management Specialist
Karen is an accomplished counter fraud and security specialist having undertaken criminal investigation roles in the public sector since 1985. Karen qualified as an accredited Counter Fraud Specialist in 2000 and gained a BSc (Hons) in Counter Fraud and Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Portsmouth in 2006. In 2018 Karen added Security Management accreditation to her portfolio and in 2022 Karen completed the ACAS Conducting Investigations course.
Karen joined the NHS in 2002 after working for 18 years as a Benefits Fraud Investigator. During this time Karen has held various management and specialist roles in both the private and public sector for NHS provider and commissioning clients across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset. In addition to fraud and security roles Karen provides support to NHS employees as an ILM 7 Executive Coach.
Karen has been invited to advise the Cabinet Office Fraud, Error and Debt Ministerial Task Force at The Treasury in Whitehall. Karen has represented LCFS colleagues as a member of national organisations including the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board, The Institute of Counter Fraud Specialist’s Executive Committee and most recently as a founder member of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority Engagement and Improvement Group.
Karen is currently the lead Local Counter Fraud Specialist for two large Hospital Trusts.
Colin Edwards
Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist
Local Security Management Specialist
Colin has worked in the counter fraud arena since 1994 having started his career in Local Government as a Benefits Investigator and Manager. He qualified as an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist in 2001. In 2022 Colin completed the ACAS Conducting Investigations course.
In 2006 Colin was nominated as a NHS Counter Fraud Specialist in Primary Care Services and shortly thereafter joined with a private provider where he delivered anti-fraud services to Primary Care, Acute, Community, Mental Health and Ambulance NHS Trusts and later Clinical Commissioning Groups.
Colin has worked domestically and overseas delivering anti-fraud and bribery work for public and private sectors inclusive of Local Authorities, County Councils, Not for Profit organisations, Housing Associations, Chartered Institutes, the Department for International Development and the World Bank. Colin has attended the NHS Counter Fraud Authority Engagement and Improvement Group and is a designated ‘Ambassador’ of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority database: CLUE.
Colin worked as a consultant on NHS Counter Fraud work with a large private provider before returning to work directly with the NHS in 2017, firstly as the in-house Counter Fraud Manager with a large London Acute Hospital and now with the Fraud and Security Management Service.
