Freedom of Information request 259-2122

Trust HQ
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Brockworth
Gloucester
GL3 4AW
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E-mail: freedomofinformation@ghc.nhs.uk Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk
DATE: 10/11/2021
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John Ely
——————- Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 259-2122
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
1. I would like a breakdown for the last two years e.g. April 2019 to March 2021, or calendar years 2019 to 2021 if more appropriate to your organisation., of items logged on the organisation’s gifts and hospitality register by staff.
I request the following details:
• Date item was declared
• Description of item
• Reason for the gift/hospitality if provided
• Value or estimated value if applicable
• Whether the item was accepted or declined
• Role of staff member the gift was received by if known, e.g. nurse, doctor, midwife etc. The Trust has a Managing Conflicts of Interest Policy in place, which also covers the receipt of gifts and hospitality. The key points to note from the policy in relation to gifts and hospitality are as follows:
What to declare:
• Offers of gifts valued over £50. Such offers must be politely declined
• Offers of cash of any amount. Such offers must be politely declined
• Multiple gifts over any 12-month period from the same source, with a cumulative value over £50
• Meals or refreshments valued over £25, whether accepted or refused. Meals or refreshments valued over £75 must be politely declined
• Offers of meals or refreshments from existing or potential contractors/sub- contractors. Such offers must always be declined tea/coffee at a meeting can be accepted.
Staff do NOT need to declare: • Low-value promotional gifts valued at £6 or less. from suppliers and contractors
• Gifts valued under £50 from service users, family members, carers etc.
• Meals and refreshments valued under £25, unless offered by an actual or potential supplier to the Trust.
On that basis, we attach the gift and hospitality registers for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as a separate excel spreadsheet.
The following should be noted:
• The Trust was formed on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two existing Trusts 2gether NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust.
• In 2020/21 no gifts or hospitality was declared. However, as this was a “COVID” year the Trust did set up a separate register to record any donations that had been made over that period to Trust sites for the benefit of staff. Should you have any queries in relation to our response in this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:-
– Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth
GLOUCESTER GL3 4AW
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office ICO. for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
On behalf of Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust