Code of Conduct for Working with Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Organisations
Version: V5
Ratified by:
Quality Reference Group
Date ratified: 27/01/2026
Job Title of author: Divisional Operational Lead
Reviewed by Committee or Expert Group
Related procedural documents
Quality Reference Group
None
Review date: 27/01/2029
It is the responsibility of users to ensure that you are using the most up to date document template – i.e. obtained via the intranet.
In developing/reviewing these guidelines Provide Community has had regard to the principles of the NHS Constitution.
Version Control Sheet
Version Date Author Status Comment
v1 January2014 Tissue Viability Nurse Approved
v2 October2017 Deputy Director Integrated PathwayHub Approved
v3 August2018 Deputy Director Integrated PathwayHub 3-month extension granted by Q&SC
V4 February2023 Clinical Lead Tissue Viability, Lymphoedema and Dermatology Clinical Manager ICT
V5 September 2025 Divisional Operational Lead Review
1. Introduction
Provide is an established, and highly respected organisation that delivers health and care services at various geographical locations in the United Kingdom.
The organisation has a reputation for delivering excellent, professional services and has developed strong relationships with its local communities, service users, integrated care boards, stakeholders and partners.
Ensuring that staff and representatives from the pharmaceutical and medical device industry work together in a professional manner will enable Provide to maintain its reputation whilst gaining an understanding of new products and devices that may support improved patient care. It also enables Provide to protect patient confidentiality and avoid intrusion into care.
2. Purpose
The Working with Industry Code of Conduct sets out how Provide staff should work with representatives of the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. It applies to all staff employed by Provide who have contact with and are contacted by the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
3. Conduct of Company Representatives
• Dates, times and venues of meetings should be mutually agreed and relevant information given regarding the purpose of the meeting
• Representatives must not employ any inducement or subterfuge to gain an interview. No fee should be paid or offered for the granting of an interview
• Time is precious for all professionals therefore adequate notice of at least 24 hours should be given if a meeting is to be cancelled. Only in exceptional circumstances should meetings be cancelled with minimal or no notice
• Representatives will be required and must display an identification badge stating your name, title and which company whilst on Provide premises
• Representatives should be respectful of the environment they are visiting and dress appropriately
• It is expected that representatives will be knowledgeable about their products and demonstrate key features/benefits supported by appropriate literature and research. In addition, representatives will be able to provide practical hints and tips considering appropriate national/local guidance.
• Representatives are expected to follow Surgical Dressing Manufacturers Association (SDMA) or similar code of conduct therefore are only able to supply a lunch if they are providing an educational session/ product information
• Representatives should provide an agenda beforehand where possible so as to make the best use of time and ensure a productive use of time
• If a representative feels that our staff have acted inappropriately or unprofessionally they can raise a complaint that, in the first instance, should be directedto theclinical lead/nurse specialist of the relevant service or the Provide customer service department
• Company representatives should not provide ad hoc product samples
• The clinical lead/nurse specialist for the service should be contacted if a company wish for their product to be evaluated and they will be advised of the correct procedure
• The company can expect constructive feedback regarding the performance of their products during evaluation and the reasons for successful/ unsuccessful selection/ de-selection of products for formulary
All employees working in a health environment are bound by a legal duty of confidence to protect personal information they may come into contact with during the course of their work. This is not just a requirement of their contractual responsibilities but also a requirement within the Data Protection Act 2018 and, for health and other professionals, through their own professions’ code of conduct.
Employees are obliged to keep any personal identifiable e.g. patient and employee records, information strictly confidential. It should be noted that employees also come into contact with non-person identifiable information which should also be treated with the same degree of care e.g. business in confidence information, financial reports.
I agree to abide by the above code of conduct, whilst working with Provide staff and whilst in any Provide environment.
Name and Sign Company