Conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest arises when a practitioner acting for a patient also holds financial, professional or personal interests, or ties with third parties, that could influence the patient's care or appear to; such interests need identification, consideration, disclosure and accountability, and where they compromise, or could reasonably be seen to compromise, the duty to the patient, the practitioner must resolve them in the patient's best interests. Good practice means the practitioner: (a) recognises possible conflicts in starting or continuing a relationship with a patient; (b) acts in patients' best interests in referrals and in giving or arranging care; (c) tells patients of any interest that could affect, or appear to affect, their care; (d) recognises that marketing can influence practitioners and keeps practice free of that influence; (e) does not seek or accept inducements, gifts or hospitality from companies that sell or market pharmaceuticals or other products where this could influence, or appear to influence, prescribing, treatment or referral; (f) does not seek or take payment for seeing sales representatives; (g) offers colleagues no inducements and makes no arrangement that could look like one; (h) does not let a financial or commercial stake in a hospital, pharmacy, other health organisation or supplier affect how patients are treated, and informs patients where they or their immediate family hold such an interest that could be seen to influence care; and (i) if employing other registered practitioners, does not set performance targets or quotas or use business practices that conflict with the code or may compromise patient safety.

• Conflict of interest register listing ownership interests, referral relationships and industry payments
• Patient disclosure records where an interest could affect care
• Gifts and hospitality register covering pharmaceutical and product companies
• Employment contracts and KPIs for employed practitioners reviewed for quotas that could compromise safety

• Referrals to a service the practitioner owns without disclosure
• Sponsored meals or travel from suppliers accepted and not recorded
• Revenue quotas in employed practitioners' contracts