Pharmacists in Wales to declare interests
Pharmacists working for the NHS in Wales, whether as employees or primary care contractors, are expected to declare any shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies under guidance published last week.
The guidance (PDF 300K), developed by the All Wales Medicines Strategy
Group, aims to ensure transparent relationships between the NHS and firms
that
offer
sponsorship in the NHS or from which it buys goods and services.
Staff must also declare in internal registers any personal gifts they
are offered that are worth more than £25, whether or not they accept
the gifts. Smaller gifts and offers of gifts have to be recorded if they
amount to more than £100 from the same source, or closely related
sources, in any 12-month period. Business-related benefits must be recorded
and declared in registers available to the public. Benefits to be declared
in this way include funding of all or part of the cost of staff, research,
staff training, drugs, equipment, costs associated with meetings, meals,
gifts, hospitality, transport and the provision of free services, such
as speakers or premises for meetings.
The guidelines apply to all NHS staff in Wales and those working for
NHS contractors, whether or not they are qualified health professionals.
Registers of declarations of interests are expected to be maintained
by local NHS organisations. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader