A former Labour parliamentary candidate has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of using forged degree certificates to secure more than a dozen senior roles within the National Health Service (NHS). Amran Hussain, 40, fabricated qualifications purportedly from prestigious universities including Oxford, Harvard, and the University of London during an eight-year period of fraud.

Between July 2014 and September 2022, Hussain submitted over 2,000 applications for NHS positions using false references and claims of academic credentials. Investigations by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) revealed that despite securing these roles, Hussain was absent for the majority of his tenure, accumulating 1,332 sick days out of 1,902 days employed. He cited various medical conditions, such as anxiety, depression, post-COVID syndrome, migraines, and vertigo, as reasons for his frequent absences.

One of Hussain’s most senior appointments was with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, where he held the position of head of outpatient pathway redesign at Band 8D—the NHS's second-highest pay band. Despite this, he attended only one shift in 116 days. Other positions included roles at Band 8 level and appointments such as national delivery officer and senior engagement manager at NHS England.

The fraud was uncovered when Devon Partnership NHS Trust conducted background checks after selecting Hussain for a £90,000 post as deputy chief operating officer. The trust could not verify Hussain’s claims of prior employment at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, where he had alleged to serve as director of transformation and improvement.

Ben Harrison, head of operations at the NHSCFA, emphasized the wider implications of Hussain’s conduct, stating that it damages confidence in NHS recruitment and diverts funds from critical healthcare services.

Hussain was arrested in November 2022 near Westerham, Kent, where he was living with his partner in a property owned by the Astor family. He remained at the residence until February 2023. During his sentencing at Maidstone Crown Court, Hussain asserted he was a war veteran with two tours of service in the British Army; however, evidence showed he had only served as a reservist.

In 2015, Hussain was photographed campaigning alongside then Labour leader Ed Miliband while standing as a candidate for North East Hampshire.