Dozens of care organisations are overstating the seriousness of patients’ illnesses in order to charge higher fees, according to Tuesday’s AD.

The paper says 26 care organisations are currently being investigated to see if there is fraud involving several hundred cases. The organisations run homes for the mentally and physically handicapped and nursing and care homes.

At each of the organisations, at least 17 files so far were found to contain mistakes with the patient being much more ill on paper than in reality, the AD reports.

The more seriously ill a patient is, the more money the organisation can claim. However, the care watchdog CIZ says there is no proof of fraud and that more research is necessary.

The health insurers’ organisation told the AD it does suspect fraud. ‘The number of psychiatric patients needing intensive care has increased over the past three years,’ a spokesman told the paper. ‘It seems unlikely there would suddenly be so many seriously ill patients.’