Handling of Patients Property
Version: V6
Ratified by: Finance & Investment Committee
Date ratified: 03/04/2024
Job Title of author: Director of Finance
Reviewed by Committee or Expert Group Finance & Investment Committee
Equality Impact Assessed by: Director of Finance
Related procedural documents
Provide Finance Procedures
Provide Corporate Governance Manual
Provide Budget Holder Manual
NHS SBS Finance Procedures
Anti-Crime Policy
Review date: March 2027
It is the responsibility of users to ensure that you are using the most up to date document template – i.e. obtained via the intranet.
In developing/reviewing this policy Provide Community has had regard to the principles of the NHS Constitution.
Version Control Sheet
Version Date
Author Status Comment
V1 April 2011 Deputy Director of Finance Ratified New
V2 March 2014 Deputy Director of Finance Ratified Reviewed
V3 December 2016 Deputy Director of Finance Ratified Reviewed
V4 June 2019 Assistant Director of Finance Ratified No changes
V5 March 2021 Assistant Director of Finance Ratified Updated regarding fraud, bribery and counter fraud
V6 March 2024 Director of Finance Updated titles, contacts and links
1. Introduction
Patients must be made aware at every available opportunity of their own responsibility for any property they choose to keep with them whilst they are being cared for in hospital. They should also be encouraged to have their relatives or friends take away anything they have no immediate need for.
On admission to hospital, patients should be informed that the GROUP will accept no responsibility whatsoever for money and valuables which are not deposited with the GROUP for safe-keeping and that any cash over £100 handed in will be banked and, upon discharge will be returned in the form of a cheque only. In the exceptional circumstances of a patient being discharged before any monies handed in can be banked, the monies may be handed back to them, subject to obtaining their signature for receipt.
In accordance with anti-money laundering arrangements, the GROUP cannot accept cash that exceeds Euro 15,000 or the equivalent thereof.
2. Definitions
Fraud is where any person who dishonestly makes a false representation to make a gain for himself or another or dishonestly fails to disclose to another person, information which he is under a legal duty to disclose, or commits fraud by abuse of position, including any offence as defined in the Fraud Act 2006.
Bribery is the giving or receiving a financial or other advantage in connection with the ‘improper performance’ of trust or a function that is expected to be performed impartially or in good faith. Where the Provide Group is engaged in commercial activity it could be considered guilty of a corporate bribery offence if an employee, agent, subsidiary or any other person acting on its behalf bribes another person intending to obtain or retain business or an advantage in the conduct of business for the Provide Group and it cannot demonstrate that it has adequate procedures in place to prevent such. The adequate procedures that the Provide Group is required to have in place to prevent bribery being committed on their behalf are performed by six principles – proportionate procedures, toplevel commitment, risk assessment, communication (including training), monitoring and review. The Provide Group does not tolerate any bribery on its behalf, even if this might result in a loss of business for it. Criminal liability must be prevented at all times.
3. Counter Fraud
If any member of staff has good reason to suspect a colleague, patient or other person of fraud, bribery and / or corruption, involving the Provide Group, they should report their genuine concerns to the LCFS or Chief Finance Officer immediately. The LCFS will then decide on the next course of action and advise the member of staff accordingly. All calls are dealt with in the strictest of confidence and callers may remain anonymous.
Suspicions of fraud, bribery or corruption should be reported to the Local Counter Fraud Specialists on 01473 945843, Provide Group Chief Finance Officer or NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line via an online reporting form: http://www.reportnhsfraud.nhs.uk/ or telephone 0800 028 4060. Further details including email addresses for those responsible can be found on the Provide Intranet.
Individuals suspected of committing an offence of fraud, bribery or corruption may be subject to criminal and/or disciplinary investigation, which could result in criminal and/or disciplinary action being taken, including prosecution and/or dismissal. For more information, please refer to the Local Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy or to the Provide Counter Fraud intranet page https://www.providecommunityplatform.co.uk/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id =2254&SearchId=530713.
4. Patient Property
Where a patient wishes to hand over items for safe-keeping, the following procedure must be followed.
All money, valuables and personal property must be recorded on the Patients Property Register (Appendix A) in the presence of two members of staff. Jewellery etc. must not be described as ‘gold’ watch, or ‘silver’ bracelet, but as ‘yellow metal’ watch, or ‘white metal’ bracelet. The entry must be signed and dated by both members of staff and, wherever possible, by the patient. If any alterations are made, signatures must also be appended next to the alteration(s).
A numbered receipt (Appendix B) must be completed and a copy given to the patient.
Items of clothing etc should be securely stored.
Items of value e.g. jewellery, cash (up to £100), postal orders and other negotiable instruments etc, handed in for safe-keeping must be deposited in the ward safe immediately.
When property is handed over to the ward clerk, he/she should confirm that the items accord with those shown on the Patients Property Register.
If there is any discrepancy between the property handed over and the details appearing on the Patients Property Register, then the matter should be referred, immediately, to the senior nurse manager.
The ward clerk must arrange for any cash handed in that is in excess of £100 to be banked. Other property should be retained, within the safe, in a sealed envelope bearing the name of the patient and the receipt number from the Patients Property Register. A separate record must be completed detailing the contents of the safe (Appendix C). Where there is a sealed envelope containing patient’s property, it is sufficient to record ‘Patients Property - <Patients Name> - Sealed envelope’.
At any time when responsibility for the contents of the safe passes from one person to another, a handover must take place and a signature and date obtained from the person taking over responsibility, confirming the contents (Appendix D)
The ward clerk or cashier will hold the key to the safe. When not on duty, the ward clerk or cashier should hand the safe key to a nominated senior officer or senior nurse on the ward.
Should a patient wish to remove one or some of the items from safekeeping, the envelope should be opened, by two members of staff, in his/her presence and a note made detailing the property removed. The patient should add his/her signature and date against the entry. A similar note must be made in the Patients’ Property Register, the entry being signed and dated by the two members of staff and the patient. The receipt previously given to the patient should, whenever possible, also be amended. Any items still to be retained by the
GROUP must be deposited in the safe in a fresh sealed envelope and signed across the flaps.
If requested, up to £100 in cash per patient can be returned to patient and the patient must sign to confirm receipt of the monies. Before doing so, however, the ward clerk or cashier must check to ensure that the patient has sufficient funds in safekeeping.
Upon discharge, the patient should be asked to check the contents of their sealed envelope in the presence of two members of staff and to sign and date the Patient Property Register, confirming return of all items.
A request should be sent to the Finance Department to enable a cheque to be sent to the patient for any balance of monies being held at the bank.
5. Deceased Patient Property
Should a patient die whilst in hospital, Finance Department must be notified and details given of all property held.
Small sums of money (up to £100), items of small value (up to £100) and clothing may be released to the next-of-kin upon receipt of an indemnity form.
When the value of the patient property is more than £100 but less than £5,000 the Finance Department may authorise release of such cash, valuables and property to:
• A person named as Executor in a will
• A solicitor acting on behalf of the Executor or Administrator
• The next of kin (who must be over 18 years old) if the GROUP is advised that no will exists, providing that an Indemnity Form is signed by the recipient and a witness.
In cases where the value of the property is over £5,000, property must be released to the person authorised to deal with the Estate, on production of Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
Where there is no will and no lawful next of kin and where the Estate exceeds £500 after payment of funeral expenses, the Estate belongs to the Crown. Particulars of the property should be notified to the Treasury Solicitor.
6. Long Term Patient Property
Where a patient/client is in long term care of the NHS they may be entitled to various benefit claims. The Group is responsible for ensuring these are processed correctly and that there is a nominated signatory for all claim forms on behalf of the patient/client.
The nominated signatory/Finance Department will be responsible for keeping an overview of all patients/clients monies, monitoring and checking expenditure from those accounts.
Patients/clients moniesmay be accessed through the petty cash system and payable order requests raised through the Finance Department.
Patient Name Receipt Number
Items received for Safekeeping
Description Value Value of any cash banked
Date Received Signature of two staff members and patient
Items returned to patient
Description Value Value of any cheque payment required
Date Returned Signature of two staff members and patient