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On 1 July 2011, the Bribery Act 2010 came into force. This new act creates the offences of offering, promising or giving a bribe, requesting, agreeing to receive or accepting a bribe, bribing a foreign public official and the corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery.

 

As chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, I consider it very important that I confirm my commitment and that of the board of directors to carry out business fairly, openly and honestly. The values which define the way we work and behave towards our patients and each other as colleagues – kind, safe and excellent – underpin this commitment.

 

We have a clear Standards of Business Conduct policy, which includes our zero-tolerance approach to bribery. Our stance is equally strong and clear in relation to those associated with or contracting with the Trust, and we avoid doing business with any individuals and organisations who fail to demonstrate their commitment to operate fairly, openly and honestly.

 

Doing business transparently and preventing bribery is important in safeguarding the proper use of public money and resources, and a clear stance also provides patients, other customers, potential contractors and business partners as well as our governors and members with confidence that we will act in a transparent and fair way. This in turn protects our trusted position within our community and our reputation as a leading national and international centre for specialist treatment, education and research.

 

CUH has in place a number of procedures for the prevention of bribery, including a clear whistleblowing policy and procedure, and a local counter-fraud specialist. In addition, we keep a publicly-available register of interests for directors, governors and staff as well as a hospitality register. All staff have a role to play, but individuals with specific responsibility for implementing bribery-prevention procedures include the board of directors, the trust secretary, and our managers, both clinical and non-clinical.

 

We work closely with colleagues both within and outside the NHS to support a concerted effort to promote fair, honest and open operations and to prevent bribery, for the ultimate benefit of the patients and public we serve.

 

Signed as accounting officer of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and on behalf of the board of directors

 

Dr Gareth Goodier
Chief Executive