This organisation believes that its service users have a right to expect that the organisation will be run on an honest and sound financial basis with robust procedures for dealing with and protecting the financial interests of service users.
The Policy
This policy is intended to set out the values, principles and policies underpinning this organisation’s approach to the giving of gifts to organisation staff by service users or their relatives. It also aims to set out the organisation’s policy on legacies.
Policy on Gifts and Legacies
It is not uncommon for service users who have developed, sometimes long and close, relationships with individual staff to offer gifts or gratuities, or to seek to include a member of staff in their will. Such activities can, however, lead to accusations of coercion, exploitation and fraud. It is vitally important to this organisation that its staff, at all times, uphold the highest standards, always acting honestly and keeping in mind the best interests of service users. Therefore, in this organisation
Personal gifts should never be accepted by a member of staff if the value of the gift is estimated to be more than £10.
Organisation staff should never, under any circumstances, accept valuables belonging to a service user or monetary gifts.
Any gift given to a member of staff must be declared as soon as is reasonably practicable and details recorded in the gifts record in the central office; this must include the date that the gift was given and its monetary value and it must be signed by the recipient.
Organisation staff should never become involved with the making of service users’ wills or with soliciting any form of bequest or legacy from a service user; they should never agree to act as a witness or executor of a service user’s will or become involved in any way with any other legal document. If a service user does need help with making a will or requests help from organisation staff, then the service user should be referred to an impartial or independent source of legal advice, such as the local Citizens Advice Bureau or local law society which will hold lists of local solicitors.
Failure to declare a gift, acceptance of a gift over £10, involvement in a will or attempts to solicit money or items through a service user’s will or legacy will be considered a disciplinary offence.
This policy is cross-referenced and linked to the Bribery and Corruption Policy. Please refer as appropriate.
Related Policies
Bribery and Corruption
Code of Conduct
Related Guidance
Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England:
https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Documents/Standards-legislation/Code-of-Conduct/Code-of-Conduct.pdf
Staff Handbook
Training Statement
All staff, during induction, are made aware of the organisation’s policies and procedures, all of which are used for training updates. All policies and procedures are reviewed and amended where necessary, and staff are made aware of any changes. Observations are undertaken to check skills and competencies. Various methods of training are used, including one to one, online, workbook, group meetings, and individual supervisions. External courses are sourced as required.
Date Reviewed: October 2022
Person responsible for updating this policy:
Next Review Date: October 2023
