Counter Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy

Counter Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy

1.1. The Hospice has in a place a policy which sets out the actions on suspected and detected fraud, bribery and corruption (all kinds of economic crime), and to help individuals who may identify suspected fraud. It provides a framework for responding to suspicions of fraud.

1.2. The Hospice does not tolerate fraud, bribery and corruption. The aim is to eliminate this as far as possible as it ultimately leads to a reduction in the resources available for patient care. The Hospice requires all staff to always act honestly and with integrity to safeguard the resources they are responsible for.

1.3. The Hospice will not tolerate any acts of fraud, bribery or corruption perpetrated against it or involving its employees and will actively pursue all available criminal and civil actions including the recovery of any loss suffered as a result.

1.4. Our policies, procedures and staff training reflect our commitment to acting ethically in all our business relationships, and to implementing effective systems and controls to protect charitable funds and mitigate the risk of fraud.

Scope

2.1. The Hospice’s strategic approach is that we have a zero tolerance to fraud, bribery and corruption within the organisation.

2.2. The Board of Trustees is committed to the elimination of fraud, bribery and corruption by ensuring that there is a strong anti-fraud, bribery and corruption culture, proactive prevention, detection and deterrence through widespread awareness, and by rigorously investigating any such cases, and where proven, to ensure wrong doers are appropriately dealt with, including taking steps to recover assets lost as a result of fraud, bribery and corruption.

2.3. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) has released the Government Functional Standard 013 Counter Fraud (‘the Functional Standard’) as a suite of requirements to countering fraud across the NHS. The Functional Standard replaced the old standards used by the NHSCFA and became effective from 1 April 2021. The Hospice has taken due regard of the Functional Standard to demonstrate its commitment to taking all necessary steps to counter fraud, bribery and corruption.

2.4. The Functional Standard sets out a number of specific component requirements which are Demonstrated in the policy.

2.5. All staff have a duty to protect the assets of the Hospice and also to cooperate with any investigation. The Board of Trustees recommends anyone having suspicions of fraud, bribery or corruption to report those suspicions. All reasonably held suspicions will be taken seriously.