Is anyone here a consultant’s secretary in the NHS? Quick question

[DCIJackieDeering]

Are you allowed to accept gifts? If so what type of thing? The secretary of my mum’s consultant has done wonders dealing with NHS bureaucracy and seems to have done more to get my mum speedy treatment than any doctor, so I wanted to get her a little something to say thank you but I’m not sure what’s allowed. I was thinking £20 costa card, plus a note, would that be ok?

£20 would be fine, generally anything over NHS employees shouldn’t take. It would be the same for secretaries, I’m sure she’d be thrilled.

What a nice gesture, I'm not a secretary but have worked in NHS so unless rules have changed drastically should be able to advise... rules are that gifts with little/no material value can be accepted, so boxes of chocs for example are fine, as are biros given out by advertising drug companies. Some trusts put a limit on it of £5 or £10. I would have thought probably a gift card of £20 would probably (technically) have to be declared to corporate governance and might have to be entered into a raffle for all staff rather than being kept by the recipient.

It might be safer if you were to bring in some nice chocolates or tins of biscuits which can be shared around the ward/department and attach a nice card/note, which I am sure would be treasured more than the gift in any case!

My consultant has received lots of gifts from nice bottles of wine/spirits to a large display of fake flowers! I think you're idea sounds lovely and would be well received.