Clause 24 - Declaration of financial interests, gifts, etc
Health and Social Care Bill
3:45 pm
Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight, Liberal Democrat)
I support the spirit behind these amendments. The issue of gifts to practitioners is extremely difficult. It is churlish to turn down a gift, especially when people have made a special effort. In the appropriate season, we are frequently given a brace of pheasant. We particularly appreciate it when it comes from the wife of the gamekeeper, because she prepares them for the oven. I am afraid that the nobs who shower me pheasant, do so literally—it is difficult to know when they were shot, but that is good for anatomical skills.
However, there is a real difficulty with the issue of gifts having a reasonable value, because people appreciate gifts, and that works both ways. We have a large orchard and have large bowls of apples in the waiting room. I am not trying to keep people away by giving them an apple, and nor am I trying to bribe them to come. It is an interaction between communities and the people who serve them. It is important for there to be a monetary value, and for us to distinguish between gifts that are of personal benefit and gifts to the practice, which predominantly benefit other patients or other staff. I cannot see anything in this clause that helps to deal with that particular issue.
I know that there are rules and regulations for trusts. People often want to express their gratitude for the hard work done in a hospital, and a box of chocolates for the nurses is appropriate, as is a donation to the league of friends. I hope that, when the regulations are drawn up, the Minister will bear in mind the fact that independent contractor have a particular difficulty. Anything that is bought out of gifts they do not have to buy themselves. That could be interpreted as extra moneys going towards practice facilities that are of direct benefit to the practitioner, so perhaps they should be spent on extras, such as sound systems and extra chairs.