A Common Understanding 2012 - Working Together For Patients

Appendix C: Examples of Potential Conflicts

It may be helpful to give staff/independent contractors some examples of instances giving rise to potential conflicts of interest and how these could be managed. Examples are given below:

A. A clinician wishes to include in the Formulary a new medicine, manufactured by a company with which he has links, e.g. company shares, research grant.

The Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee should require declarations of interest from clinicians submitting proposals for new products to be added to formularies and ensure the decision is based on clinical and cost-effectiveness information.

B. A pharmaceutical company representative wishes to present the case for a new product to be included in a formulary.

Health Board formulary submission process should be followed with necessary declarations of interest being made

C. Offer from a company to provide training of staff/independent contractors.

Training provided by industry is acceptable if it is unbiased, is evidence-based and the hospitality is appropriate.

D. A pharmaceutical company offers to sponsor a clinical employee/independent contractor in an NHS Board.

This does not fit the joint-working criteria and should follow the Board’s sponsorship policy. Participants should be aware that any payments to NHSScotland staff must be declared under the ABPI Code of Practice though no individual recipient is named.

E. Sponsored attendance at conferences and symposia, should be agreed and registered by the employer and a report on the benefits to patient care and/or service provision shared with colleagues.

Attendance of more than one member of any clinical team must be considered carefully to ensure that patient care is not compromised. Participants should be aware that any payments to NHSScotland staff must be declared under the ABPI Code of Practice. Any payment must be declared and recorded by the recipients employer.