8 CHARGED IN NHS FRAUD SCANDAL

Senior health board figures face allegations of corruption over contracts worth millions

- SALLY HIND

SIX men and two women - including senior health board figures - have been charged after an investigation into corruption around multimillion-pound NHS contracts.

Former IT and communications chiefs from some of Scotland's biggest health boards are among those facing allegations, including bribery and fraud, alongside the directors of an Ayrshire telecoms firm, Oricom.

The six men and two women all appeared in court in private in recent days.

• 8 charged including senior health board figures & telecoms firm chief

• Arrests made after investigation into multimillion-pound NHS contracts

A MAJOR investigation into corruption around multimillion-pound NHS contracts in Scotland has resulted in eight people including senior health board figures being charged.

Former communications and IT chiefs from some of the country's biggest health boards are among those facing a catalogue of allegations, including bribery and fraud, alongside the directors of an Ayrshire telecoms firm.

The six men and two women all appeared in court in private in recent days – six years after investigations were first launched.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie last night said the 46 charges brought to court were an incredibly serious revelation.

The Record revealed in 2015 how NHS counter-fraud investigators raided the offices of Irvine-based firm Oricom, which had been providing phone and IT maintenance deals to a string of health boards including NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian and NHS Ayrshire and Arran.