Hospital Worker Admits Defrauding Colleagues And A Vulnerable Patient

A Bridgend hospital worker has today been jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to forging the signatures of her colleagues and a vulnerable patient – in a scam that saw her net thousands of pounds over several years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kay Morgan, a former ward clerk at Caswell Clinic in Bridgend, pleaded guilty to nine charges of fraud, false accounting and theft when she appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, October 25th. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Morgan, 59, from Abergarw, faced a total of 15 charges, the remainder of which will lie on file with the Crown Prosecution Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Detective Sergeant Scott Howe said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation, which has seen South Wales Police work very closely and determinedly with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Kay Morgan’s fraudulent behaviour is believed to have begun in 2005 and continued until she left the facility in 2013. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“She repeatedly breached her position of trust by callously targeting not only her employer and colleagues but also a vulnerable patient. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are pleased she has finally admitted to her guilt to some of the charges, sparing her victims and their families the further distress of a trial. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We hope this case serves as a deterrent to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to take advantage of vulnerable people in this way. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Kay Morgan probably believed she had got away with her offending, but the safeguarding of vulnerable people is a primary objective of South Wales Police and we, along with our partners at AMBU health board, were determined to do all it took to get justice for her victims.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A spokeswoman for ABM University Health Board said: “We were shocked to discover the truly shameful actions of this individual. It was a dreadful breach of trust against the health board, but much worse, against vulnerable patients. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Her callous dishonesty was an affront to all caring, hard-working and trustworthy staff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We worked closely with police to ensure Ms Morgan was brought to justice, and hope that her conviction and this sentence will be a deterrent to others. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“While Ms Morgan was solely responsible for the thefts, arrangements are in place to formally approve reimbursements for the patients involved; now that criminal proceedings have concluded. In addition, we have tightened internal procedures to minimise future risks.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​