SVA Forum

[The Essential VA]

Just wanted to make you all aware of a scam which is going on at the moment. I received a telephone call on Thursday from Medic Care NHS Staff Benefits and the chap explained that staff within the NHS, when they are carrying out private work, are unable to use NHS resources so would I be interested in typing up reports, etc., and was I in a position to take on this extra work. This would be a 12 month contract. It sounded quite plausible, apart from the bit about I would be expected to give a discount, so I agreed to meet the hospital co-ordinator the following day to discuss the work that would be involved and costings. In the meantime they sent through the appointment confirmation.

Now, when he said "discuss costings" I thought that he meant what I would charge. Wrong, as I discovered when the appointment confirmation came through. Final paragraph read "Finally, as we discussed on the telephone, the NHS cannot use public funds to provide this scheme for its staff. Therefore there is a cost for you to participate in the scheme . . . . ". This is when the alarm bells started to ring. Internet research here I come.

I found a couple of sites which mentioned Medic Care NHS Staff Benefits, with articles from people who had been conned by these people. They parted with their money on the guarantee that their advert would appear on the NHS intranet, visible throughout the NHS, resulting in additional business. Needless to say, the adverts never appeared after their hard-earned cash was taken. I was conned by something similar last year (Student Year Planner) and there was no way that I was going to be "had" a second time. I was tempted to meet this so called "hospital co-ordinator" at the arranged time and challenge him with my findings but my time is precious so I rang to cancel my appointment and wasn't even asked why I wanted to cancel. I wonder why !!!!

So, my fellow VAs, please be warned. I had a lucky escape.

Margaret Parkinson
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The Essential VA

www.the-essential-va.co.uk

[caroline]

They also do this with police diaries, fire ad rescue calendars... Basically their whole thing is to hook you into thinking you'll get a juicy public sector contract - and then charge through the nose!
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