Surgeon Dr James Ian Spark made up fake person to scam more than $50,000 from SA Health, court told

A surgeon who scammed more than $50,000 with fake time-sheets has apologised, as a court heard one of his patients never existed.

Vascular surgeon Dr James Ian Spark took more than $50,000 from SA Health by claiming for surgeries he did not perform.

A respected vascular surgeon has expressed remorse for defrauding more than $50,000 from SA Health, saying he fully accepts “the need to be held accountable” as a court heard one of his so-called patients – Jane Smith – did not exist.

Dr James Ian Spark, 59, of Kingswood, told a court on Tuesday his offences were made from a sense of self-entitlement for the “above and beyond” work to which he was contributing.

In a signed document addressed to Magistrate Benjamin Sale, Dr Spark apologised for entering “false information” on time-sheets throughout 2017 and 2018, which led to charges of seven counts of deception and one count of attempted deception.

“It was a gross error of judgment on my part, and something that I deeply regret,” he said.

Dr James Ian Spark. Picture: Facebook

“This was a serious mistake that should not have happened. I know that integrity is fundamental to the practise of medicine (and) I know that trust is important. I have fallen short of this standard on this occasion.

“I have reflected carefully on my actions and I fully accept the need to be held accountable.”

Dr Spark, who worked at Flinders Medical Centre and his own practice, was originally charged with 56 counts of deceiving another to benefit himself following an ICAC investigation.

Earlier this month, he pleaded guilty to seven counts of deception, admitting he falsified eight time-sheets involving surgical call-backs for 23 patients to defraud a total of $50,694.15.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of attempted deception, over one time-sheet involving two patients and totalling $7009.59 - which he did not receive.

Dr James Ian Spark. Picture: Facebook

Prosecution said the offending itself fell into four categories including claims for surgeries at which Dr Spark was not present, callbacks, claims for a patient who was a private patient and claims for a non-existent patient.

“The fourth type (of offending) – and perhaps the most significant – (is) a claim for a patient that didn’t exist – Jane Smith,” they said.

“To prove someone doesn’t exist takes some investigation, Your Honor. First off, if they’re not a public patient then you need to confirm they’re not a private patient. Then, you look to the time-sheet itself and it contains a number against the name that turns out to be the number of a male from the Northern Territory who was admitted on a day that Dr Spark was not on call.

“It is disturbing. Here we have the head of the department signing off on his own time-sheets and he’s dishonestly falsified those time sheets. This is not a question of recklessness, it is dishonesty.”

Dr Spark is scheduled to reappear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court next month.