A question regarding a xmas gift!

Thriftkitten

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me with a query I have regarding my job.
I am a Community Carer and this being my first xmas with this agency I am now experiencing something that I haven't come across before.
One of the elderly clients that my work colleagues and I regularly visit up to 3 times a day has kindly give xmas cards with a small amount of money in I think about £10 as a thankyou, (I haven't recieved anything yet as have been off work for 2 days),
The office has now called to tell me that if I recieve an envelope I am to bring it to the office as I am NOT allowed to keep it.
I was quite upset about this as I feel that maybe the elderly client won't be told and also mentioned to the office that I would be prepared to open that card in the office and that if there was anything financial in the card that I would only hand it over providing I had a receipt given to me.
I also feel that all this harping on about human rights and to help preserve their dignity, well what about when they choose to thank the staff in their own way, whether that be a small amount of money or a gift of some other kind!
One of my other clients daughters is baking me a Heavy cake as a thankyou..... Am I to take that into the office also???
Another client I visit on a Tues and Thursday asked if she could give me a bottle of red wine on Thursday as a gift for xmas.... Am I to tell her NO or to take it, thank her and give it to the office!!!!
Obviously I know there is a lot of rules and regulations in regards to safeguarding elderly people, but is this one step too far, I could understand the office wanting to check things out but it seems a little out of the ordinary to me and what difference would a heavy cake, a knitted scarf or a £10 voucher make....:mad:
I also feel a bit angry that I have to spend my own petrol Money driving the 10 miles to the office that I wont be re-emburssed for just to give a gift that a client may have given to me!!!
Do I make the client aware that I am NOT allowed to recieve any gifts....!!!!!
Also for the record we all pay our own public liability insurance, this is NOT covered by our company each month!

saintjammyswine

There are now very strict rules around receiving of gifts within public sector, not around safeguarding but bribery. I guess your case is more around the client's ability to soundly offer the gifts? No answers I'm afraid, sorry. I will take wine off your hands though!!!

Thriftkitten

saintjammyswine wrote: »

There are now very strict rules around receiving of gifts within public sector, not around safeguarding but bribery. I guess your case is more around the client's ability to soundly offer the gifts? No answers I'm afraid, sorry. I will take wine off your hands though!!!

Yes, there sure is, however, it appears I won't be having the wine either if this is the case!!
I think to safeguard everyone it would be better for me to explain to my clients that I am not allowed to receive anything and that if they feel strongly then to call the office and speak to the boss.

saintjammyswine

When in private sector there were very few rules around receiving of gifts, especially as I was in technical sales in the building industry, christmas was a time when bottles of whisky went round quicker than a cold! Now in the public sector I have to declare everything to my director to ensure transparency.

Thriftkitten

saintjammyswine wrote: »

When in private sector there were very few rules around receiving of gifts, especially as I was in technical sales in the building industry, christmas was a time when bottles of whisky went round quicker than a cold! Now in the public sector I have to declare everything to my director to ensure transparency.

I can imagine, but I have just been told by boss that we are not allowed to have it at all, so even taking it into the office to open and record it is not an option, They will be removing it from me and am assumming returning it to the client!!! How rude! Especially for the 90 something yr old lady who is knitting me some dish cloths.... but with my wool!!!!

tomjonesrules

Thriftkitten wrote: »

Yes, there sure is, however, it appears I won't be having the wine either if this is the case!!
I think to safeguard everyone it would be better for me to explain to my clients that I am not allowed to receive anything and that if they feel strongly then to call the office and speak to the boss.

Yes, I agree, but rather than telling them to ring your boss just explain why. If you are not sure how to explain, ask your manager.

saintjammyswine wrote: »

When in private sector there were very few rules around receiving of gifts, especially as I was in technical sales in the building industry, christmas was a time when bottles of whisky went round quicker than a cold! Now in the public sector I have to declare everything to my director to ensure transparency.

The rules for the private sector care industry are the same as in the public sector. If CQC became aware of people accepting gifts they would kick up an almighty fuss. There is no doubt people do accept them quietly, but the repercussions can be serious.

Thriftkitten

Thanks for help clarifying it, Think I'll just sit and have a xmas cuppa with them instead, safer all round I guess!:beer:

saintjammyswine

As long as its your tea, milk & sugar eh!

Acc72

tomjonesrules wrote: »

There is no doubt people do accept them quietly, but the repercussions can be serious.

I have no experience of this, however it sounds like one of those situations that probably goes on quite a bit and nobody says anything - until one day your manager/company decide to get rid of you for whatever reason (maybe even to save on redundancy costs) and they suddenly uncover this case of gross misconduct.

For the sake of a tenner, it just isn't worth it.

The more time I spend on this forum the more suspicious I get !! ...

Evilm

I think the problem is they seem to have a blanket policy. In one case its £10 at Xmas or a cake/bottle of wine and thats not really a problem. In another its £500 as a gift from the resident/client or an heirloom worth thousands. In that case the family claim the carer "stole" it from the client (or the client didn't mean to give it to them/didn't know value etc.) and it becomes a problem for the company.

I've heard of other cases where its somewhat become standard to say "no gifts allowed at all" rather than having any issues when a questionable gift is given. Its not really fun for the person who has to refuse them but I can understand the reasoning behind the policy.

LadyMissA

saintjammyswine wrote: »

When in private sector there were very few rules around receiving of gifts, especially as I was in technical sales in the building industry, christmas was a time when bottles of whisky went round quicker than a cold! Now in the public sector I have to declare everything to my director to ensure transparency.

In the private sector where I have worked since leaving school ALL gifts were given to the Director and the staff were not allowed to take anything even if given to them as it was not allowed and counted as a bribe or something