Commentary on Sections General and personal medical services, general dental services, general ophthalmic services and pharmaceutical services Section 23: Declaration of financial interests, gifts, etc.
109.Section 23 introduces new arrangements requiring practitioners providing family health services to declare their financial interests and any gifts or benefits they receive. The aim is to be broadly consistent with other NHS workers. Doctors, and other NHS employees, in the hospital sector are required to agree to local standards of business conduct that normally oblige them to refuse all gifts from patients except those gifts which are of low intrinsic value such as diaries or chocolates.
110.Subsection (2) amends section 29 of the 1977 Act to provide that regulations may require practitioners providing general medical services to declare any financial interests, gifts above a prescribed value or other benefits that they may receive in connection with the provision of NHS services. Such regulations will be subject to consultation.
111.Subsections (3), (4) and (5) provide for similar regulatory powers requiring persons and organisations providing general dental services, general ophthalmic services and pharmaceutical services to declare any gifts or other benefits that they may receive in connection with the provision of NHS services. Such regulations will also be subject to consultation.