The Bribery Act 2010 came into force on 1 July 2011. The aim of the Act is to tackle bribery and corruption in both the private and public sector.

As a NHS organisation we follow good NHS Business Practice and have robust controls in place to prevent bribery. However, as a Trust we cannot afford to be complacent and it is important that all our employees, contractors and agents comply with Trust policies and procedures, particularly with regard to procurement and sponsorship.

It is essential that everyone working for, or on behalf of, the Trust are aware of the standards of behaviour expected of them. These standards are enshrined in Trust Policy, setting out the ethics, professional conduct and probity standards that are expected of all Trust employees in relation to their standards of business conduct. The Trust is working with its staff to raise awareness of the Act.

One of the six principles of the Act is that there is top level commitment in the organisation to the prevention of bribery. The Board of Directors at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to this and will discuss the Act at its Board meetings, to agree ways to communicate the importance of transparency and openness at all times. A Board member has been identified as the lead person in the organisation for the prevention of bribery. On behalf of the Trust, I confirm our commitment to ensuring that all staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to the prevention of Bribery.

Selina Douglas
Chief Executive