Children's nurse shaved head to fake leukaemia and claim £185K pension
The nurse convinced her family, children and professionals she was “at the point of death” while defrauding pension, some which was used for a trip to Dubai
A children’s nurse has been struck off after making £185,422.95 in pension payments by shaving her head daily to pretend she had terminal leukaemia.
Amanda Reid convinced her family, children and professionals that she was “at the point of death” despite knowing she was not, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee found.
A total of 16 medical letters were forged to persuade her GP practice she was seriously ill, which included logos from the Spire Hospital Edinburgh.
To look as if she was battling the blood cancer, she took weight loss medication and shaved her head daily.
The former healthcare worker in Scotland, who claimed she has Munchausen’s syndrome, also fraudulently acquired controlled drugs from the NHS during her more than three-year offending period.
She was jailed for two years at Livingston Sheriff Court in October 2025 for falsely claiming to the Scottish Pensions Authority that she was terminally ill with leukaemia and therefore entitled to specific payments, the tribunal said.
In September 2025, she had pleaded guilty to defrauding the Scottish Pensions Authority of £185,442.95 between April 13 2021 to August 31 2024.
Some of the funds were spent on a trip to Dubai, the panel added, quoting the judge’s sentencing remarks.
Mrs Reid, who previously worked at Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire, has claimed that she has Munchausen’s and that she was not motivated by financial gain.
However, a social worker said they had been “unable to independently verify” the Munchausen’s diagnosis, in a report compiled ahead of the court sentencing.
People living with the psychological condition pretend to be ill or produce symptoms of illness in themselves, according to the NHS website.
Mrs Reid made no submissions to the proceedings in Scotland held online.
Striking her off the NMC register, the panel, chaired by John Millar, found “no evidence of insight or remorse”.
It said in its written judgement: “The panel considered that the dishonesty in this case was sustained, deliberate, premeditated, involving criminal fraud and financial gain.
“In addition, there was a pattern of dishonesty in relation to multiple health services, agencies and family members over a period of three years.”
It added: “The panel noted that although it had no evidence that Mrs Reid had put patients at risk of harm, Mrs Reid’s conviction provided clear evidence of repeated dishonest behaviour over a prolonged period of three years.
“The panel concluded that these behaviours raise significant concerns and indicate deep-seated attitudinal issues.
“The panel determined that this type of dishonest conduct, should it be repeated in a clinical setting, could be liable to put patients at risk of harm in the future.”
When sentenced in October 2025, the court heard that Reid had been referred for NHS palliative care in June 2024.
Two months later, a member of the care team raised "red flags" about her medical history.
It then emerged that Reid’s consultant at a Spire private hospital had not treated her for cancer and letters purportedly signed by him were not genuine.
Detectives went to arrest Mrs Reid who was on holiday in Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway, and found her in bed with a cannula in her arm and her head shaved.
Her defence lawyer was instructed by his client to issue a public apology for all those affected by her behaviour and criminality.
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