04 Nov 2005

The importance of skills quality within the fraud arena has been a highly topical area of industry debate recently. There is a recognition for the need for training and skills to not only ensure a motivated and efficient workforce but to meet the needs of the customers and to ensure their satisfaction.

The industry has acknowledged that this is crucial in meeting both FSA regulatory compliance and the aims of the Treating Customers Fairly programme. Capita has already taken the moves to put this into practice by developing a unique accreditation program and code of conduct which underpins their investigative philosophy.

“We strongly believe that there is a need in the market for skilled fraud investigators who are accredited with a recognisable qualification. This provides a sense of professional achievement and motivation for individuals working within the industry, as well as reassurance for customers of the standard of the work that is being undertaken. Given the inherent risks attached to the highly sensitive area of fraud investigation, the competency of practitioners cannot be compromised, both operationally and ethically”.

Capita Insurance Services has put this into practice by introducing a year long Investigator Accreditation Programme for its entire operational staff. The programme aims to equip investigations staff with accredited training for their own personal development and also to provide a legitimate and measurable benchmark of their competency for the benefit of customers.

The Programme’s approach to learning and development is a holistic one, offering broad based, in depth knowledge about fraud investigation and management alongside the ethical and professional dimensions that are vitally important.

The accreditation programme led by Professor Alan Doig is unique in its quality and is undergoing accreditation status by way of a formal qualification (UGCPD – Corporate Fraud Investigator) by Teesside University

Since its development the benefits to the customer have already been identified with a marked increase in cases referred for prosecution and increased savings. In addition there have been no substantiated complaints about the quality and standard of the fraud investigation work undertaken in the last five months indicating that the common tensions between fraud investigation and customer service can be minimised using a skilled workforce and an ethical approach.