2020

Verifile, found 60% of CVs checked by them in 2019 contained lies.
 
Digging deeper, their referencing teams found inaccuracies in: 

• 13% of employments checked
• 15% professional memberships and licences checked
• 13% of qualifications checked

As a background screening company, Verifile carries out a wide range of checks on behalf of clients, including those who need to carry out screening during their recruitment process.
 
Eyal Ben Cohen, founder and CEO at Verifile, said that lies and exaggerations on CVs are sadly commonplace: “While modern technology has brought the world closer together, and created access to a worldwide workforce, it has also made it easier for some to try and defraud others with fake identity, qualifications and careers.
 
“Sadly, too many people still believe that no one will take the time to check their CVs fully, for the suitability of the role they’re applying for.
 
“Verifile is committed to changing that and creating transparency so that any relationship a business enters into, whether that’s through recruitment or for another reason, is built on a strong foundation of trust.”
 
Meanwhile the quality of Verifile’s knowledge and the tenacity of their teams was also highlighted with a drop of 7% in the number of checks returning ‘no result’, when compared to 2018 figures.
 
In 2019 Verifile were only unable to verify a tiny 4% of qualifications, employments and memberships listed on CVs.
 
“This is a very impressive figure which demonstrates how Verifile always goes that extra mile to verify every piece of information we receive,” explains Eyal.
 
“This number can never be 0% because there will always be companies or schools that have closed down and their records are unavailable. However, we continue to reduce it year on year, through chasing organisations for a response, and by only using direct sources to confirm a candidate’s claims.”
 
Booming background screening sector
 
The global background screening sector is booming, with more and more industries recognising the need to carry out pre- and post-employment checks.
 
Verifile itself saw 88% more individuals checked in 2019 compared to 2018. They also welcomed 329 new clients and checked people across 154 countries.
 
A lot of this is down to Verifile’s own investment in technology with a third of its checks now being placed via its own application programming interface (API).
 
“Pre-employment background screening not only builds trust, it also makes sure public safety remains intact,“ adds Eyal.
 
“If someone claims to have a skill or qualification necessary for a specific task, it’s too late to find out they have lied on their CV once something goes wrong.”
 
Verifile offers a host of pre- and post-employment background screening options, individually or as part of a bespoke package. These include CV verification, social media checks, credit checks, identity checks, and criminal checks.
 
They can carry out these checks via thousands of up-to-date data sources in almost every country in the world. To find out more about the services they offer and how they can help businesses of all sizes develop robust and compliant screening procedures, visit www.verifile.co.uk

Walgreens will pay $7.5 million to settle with California authorities after an employee was found to be impersonating a pharmacist San Francisco.

Kim Thien Le pleaded not guilty to felony impersonation charges, as reported by ABC News.

Prosecutors said that from late 2006 through 2017, Le used the license numbers of genuine and registerd pharmacists and impersonated them.

She then dispensed more than 745,000 prescriptions at Walgreens stores in Santa Clara and Alameda counties, allegedly including more than 100,000 for opioids such as fentanyl, morphine and codeine.

Le herself didn't have a pharmacist license, prosecutors said.

The district attorneys in both counties filed a consumer protection action against Walgreens, with prosecutors on 3 February 2020 announcing the pharmacy giant agreed to settle.

The company will pay $7.5 million in penalties, costs and remedial payments.

“The burden is on the company to make sure its employees are properly licensed and to complete a thorough background check," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said in a news release announcing the settlement.

The complaint alleged Walgreens failed to vet Le thoroughly when it promoted her to positions requiring a license and failed to make sure that its internal systems were strong enough to prevent an employee from evading them.

In a statement Walgreens said Le hasn't worked for the company since 2017, adding: "Pharmacy quality and safety are top priorities, and upon learning of this issue, we undertook a re-verificationof the licenses of all our pharmacists nationwide."

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised concerns about the leadership at Cygnet Health Care, the firm at the centre of a BBC expose over allegations of abuse at a mental health hospital.

The BBC's Panorama programme, broadcast in May 2019, filmed undercover at County Durham's learning disabilities unit Whorlton Hall, run by Cygnet Health Care.

The CQC followed this up with a probe into the firm's management. The firm said it was addressing concerns that had been raised.

The BBC now reports that the CQC found patients under the firm's care were more likely to be restrained.

Higher rates of self-harm were also noted by inspectors who quizzed managers and analysed records at the company's headquarters.

Cygnet runs more than 100 services for vulnerable adults and children, caring for people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and eating disorders.

CQC's findings

The regulator found a lack of clear lines of accountability between the executive team and its services. It said directors' identity and disclosure and barring service checks had been carried out.

But it said that required checks had not been made to ensure that directors and board members met the "fit and proper" person test for their roles.

Systems used to manage risk were also criticised, while training for intermediate life support was not provided to all relevant staff across services where physical intervention or rapid tranquilisation was used.

owever, the CQC did say that the senior leadership team was responding to concerns, and pointed out that most services run by the provider were rated as good with some as outstanding.

Cygnet said it was taking steps to improve services, but added it was "not complacent" and would "take on board" the recommendations.

A spokeswoman added: "We treat some of the most acute patients that other providers may not be able or willing to support.

"We always aim to de-escalate and advocate least restrictive practices in line with current good practice guidelines."

The unit at the centre of the BBC allegations has been closed. While it was privately run, it was NHS-funded.