GP practice manager jailed for two years after stealing £596,000 from employer

A former doctor's practice manager has been jailed after defrauding the surgery she worked for of almost £600,000.

Carolyn Lightwing, 55, claimed she took the money over a period of three years to cover bills and intended to pay it back to her employers.

As practice manager, Lightwing was responsible for suppliers' invoices and had access to practice bank accounts which she abused on a substantial scale.

Discrepancies in the accounts came to light in 2017 once Lightwing was no longer employed by Elvington Medical Practice.

She later confessed to transferring £596,000 into personal bank accounts she had set up while falsely claiming to be a supplier to the surgery.

She covered her tracks by taking money from one year’s accounts to balance the previous year’s and the shortfalls only came to light after she was no longer able to manipulate the accounts.

Since the fraud was discovered, all the money has been paid back to the practice.

She pleaded guilty to the fraud at York Magistrates’ Court on June 18 and was jailed for two years at York Crown Court on Friday.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sarah Burton, said: “This was a massive breach of trust by the defendant and it has had a profound effect on everyone at the surgery.

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“Thankfully the money has since been repaid in full and now that justice has been done, I hope that the staff are able to put this difficult time behind them and continue their vital role in our communities without the distraction that this audacious case has caused.”

Speaking on behalf of the doctors and staff, Mrs Abigail Holdstock, practice manager, said: “The partners and staff of Elvington Medical Practice were shocked and upset on learning of the crime committed by their trusted, former employee and work colleague.

"The partners have assisted the police with their investigation of the crime since it was discovered in November 2017.

"As far as the partners are aware, there has been no compromise to patient care as a result of Mrs Lightwing’s fraud.

“The partners now wish to move on from what has been a very distressing chapter in the practice’s history.”

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