Doctor Anthony Madu found guilty of NHS fraud

Anthony Madu was employed as a specialist gynaecologist in Cardiff

A Cardiff doctor has been convicted of fraud against the NHS after working for other health boards while suspended by his employer.

Gynaecologist Anthony Madu, 45, was placed on extended leave by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in 2009.

Madu, of Woolwich, carried out locum work in England while still earning more than £29,000 from his employers in Wales.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court convicted him of six counts of fraud.

Judge David Wynn Morgan said: "It may well be a tragedy has been avoided by the timely actions by Cardiff Vale University Health Board."

During his trial, the court heard Madu was appointed to the post of specialist registrar obstetrics and gynaecology at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, in August 2009.

After being placed on leave just two months into his job, he was "escorted off the premises", said prosecutor Christian Jowett.

Madu then began a period of sickness leave but still carried out work at hospitals in Birmingham, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and Oldham, between late 2009 and August 2010.

Despite carrying out this work, the jury heard he handed in sick forms to his bosses in Cardiff in January, March and April 2010.

'Disagreeable'

He said the notes had been obtained to excuse his attendance at a family meeting in Nigeria and not because he was unfit to work.

Madu said he had told the two GPs he had seen this was why he wanted them.

He was diagnosed with work-related stress and offered counselling as well as prescription drugs.

Health board staff said they had told Madu he could not work anywhere while the suspension was in force.

He maintained his Cardiff employers had told him to continue working elsewhere to maintain his clinical skills.

The court heard that between October 2009 and June 2010, the defendant was paid £29,150.66 by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board but when cover was included, the total cost to the Welsh NHS was around £49,000.

Madu will be sentenced on 28 November 2014 pending pre-sentence and psychiatric reports.

Ordering him to be remanded in custody, the judge said: "He has a habit of not turning up to appointments he may find disagreeable."