Surgery Manager Handed Seven-Year Ban After Withholding NHS Pension Contributions
A GP surgery in Rowley Regis shut its doors in July 2024 under troubling circumstances after its manager failed to pass on pension contributions deducted from staff wages.
Sonia Simkins, who operated Hawes Lane Surgery as a sole trader, is now facing serious consequences after an investigation by The Insolvency Service revealed that over £75,000 in NHS pension contributions, deducted from employees’ wages, was never paid into the scheme.
While Simkins had been withdrawing pension contributions from her staff between 2019 and 2024, official records show only a fraction, just over £1,700, was actually paid into the scheme. The rest, including more than £50,000 in employer contributions, went unaccounted for.
The situation came to a head when Simkins was made bankrupt and subsequently agreed to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU) in April 2025. This legally binding agreement restricts her from holding senior business roles or managing a company until 2032. She’s also barred from borrowing over £500 without declaring her restrictions, and from taking up certain leadership positions in healthcare.
At the time of the surgery’s sudden closure, around 4,000 patients were registered with Hawes Lane Surgery. No notice was given. The Black Country Integrated Care Board (BCICB) had to step in quickly, ensuring patients received care and were re-registered at nearby practices.
The closure didn’t just affect patients – it also impacted the 10 staff employed at the surgery, including reception and admin personnel, and one GP.
David Chapman, Senior Official Receiver, commented on the case:
“Sonia Simkins deducted pension contributions from her staff’s wages, but failed to pay more than £75,000 into the NHS pension fund – while the closure of Hawes Lane Surgery had an immediate impact on staff and patients in Rowley Regis. Following an Insolvency Service investigation by the Official Receiver, Simkins accepted her misconduct. The BRU will prevent her from acting as a company director or starting a new company until April 2032.”
This case highlights the importance of financial transparency and accountability in managing healthcare services – particularly where staff benefits and public funds are concerned.