Managing Service User Valuables in Community Hospitals and Residential Homes
Version: V5
Ratified by: Finance Investment Committee
Date ratified: 06/05/2025
Job Title of author: Head of health, Safety and Compliance
Reviewed by Committee or Expert Group Property Health and Steering Group
Equality Impact Assessed by: Head of health, Safety and Compliance
Related procedural documents
QSPOL01 Incident Reporting and Management Policy
Review date: 06/05/2028
It is the responsibility of users to ensure that you are using the most up to date document – i.e. obtained via the intranet.
In developing/reviewing this policy Provide Community has had regard to the principles of the NHS Constitution.
Version Control Sheet
Version Date Author Status Comment
V1 March 2013 Director of Corporate Development and Governance Ratified New
V2.0 March 2016 Health & Safety, Resilience and Security Manager Reviewed due to expiry date lapse
V3 February2018 Head ofSafety & Resilience Ratified
V4 May 2022 Health,Safety, Fire and Security Manager Reviewed Ratified FIC 25/05/2022
V5 May 2025 Head of health, Safety and Compliance Review Amended to include Residential Homes, updated forms and change of name ofpolicy
1. Introduction
This policy sets out the process for dealing with service user valuables whilst in one of the sites managed by Provide, on leaving/discharge or in the unfortunate event of their death. The safe storage of service user valuables is important to the organisation and so this policy forms part of an agreed system of control and provides an effective methodology for implementing controls.
Service users must be made aware at every available opportunity of their own responsibility for any property they choose to keep with them whilst they are being cared for.
At our Community Hospitals service users should be informed that the GROUP will accept no responsibility whatsoever for money and valuables which are not deposited with the GROUP for safe-keeping and that any cash over £100 handed in will be banked and, upon discharge will be returned in the form of a cheque only. In the exceptional circumstances of a patient being discharged before any monies handed in can be banked, the monies may be handed back to them, subject to obtaining their signature for receipt.
In accordance with anti-money laundering arrangements, the GROUP cannot accept cash that exceeds Euro 15,000 or the equivalent thereof.
2. Purpose
‘Property’ refers to all items belonging to service users and any items held by the home or Community Hospital on behalf of the service user. Eg clothes, furniture ‘Valuables’ refers to items belonging to service users which have a financial or personal value to the service user. Eg jewellery
Once service users have handed over valuables to ward nursing staff, the senior nurse in charge is responsible for ensuring that this policy is adhered to and that appropriate action is taken to ensure safe storage of valuables and / or that valuables is returned to the patient or their relatives.
This policy ensures that residents' personal property is respected, protected, and managed in a way that supports their dignity, independence, and safety, in accordance with the Care Quality Commission's Fundamental Standards.
3. Definitions
Fraud is where any person who dishonestly makes a false representation to make a gain for himself or another or dishonestly fails to disclose to another person, information which he is under a legal duty to disclose, or commits fraud by abuse of position, including any offence as defined in the Fraud Act 2006.
Bribery is the giving or receiving a financial or other advantage in connection with the ‘improper performance’ of trust or a function that is expected to be performed impartially or in good faith. Where the Provide Group is engaged in commercial activity it could be considered guilty of a corporate bribery offence if an employee, agent, subsidiary or any other person acting on its behalf bribes another person intending to obtain or retain business or an advantage in the conduct of business for the Provide Group and it cannot demonstrate that it has adequate procedures in place to prevent
such. The adequate procedures that the Provide Group is required to have in place to prevent bribery being committed on their behalf are performed by six principles –proportionate procedures, top-level commitment, risk assessment, communication (including training), monitoring and review. The Provide Group does not tolerate any bribery on its behalf, even if this might result in a loss of business for it. Criminal liability must be prevented at all times.
Patient Property or Belongings
All personal belongings, including valuables, essential personal items and clothing
Patient valuables This includes cash, jewellery, keys, credit cards, mobile phone or other portable electronic devices. It may also include items of sentimental value.
Essential personal items This includes dentures, hearing aids, glasses and mobility aids. These items may also be of high value. 3
Limited value items This may include clothing, footwear, toilet bag, toiletries, fabric items, holdall, and handbag
Other items Medicines, offensive weapons or illegal substances
This is not an absolute definitive list but the likeliest items that would be covered by this policy are:
• Money
• Jewellery
• Watches
• Bank cards
• Computers, tablets, phones
• Telecare equipment
• Clothes
• Furniture
• Other personal items
4. Duties
CEO, Health and Chief Nurse and the CEO Enterprise are responsible with ensuring that CQC Outcome 7: Safeguarding people who use services, specifically relating to security for patient valuables, is followed and maintained.
Divisional leads and Heads of Service have overall responsibility for ensuring that the policy in rolled out across the inpatient wards and that the Senior Nurse in Charge has disseminated to all staff. And the Registered Manger in Provide Care Solutions.
Senior Nurse in charge
The senior nurse in charge has overall responsibility to ensure that their teams are aware and follow this policy. Within all ward areas, ward safe checks are to be completed regularly. Written evidence of those checks is recorded for audit trail.
The senior nurse in charge is responsible for ensuring that ward staff are trained to implement this policy.
The senior nurse in charge is responsible for the appropriate management of patient valuables.
Nursing Staff
All nursing staff at all grades are responsible for ensuring that patient valuables are safe and kept in the safe with clear documentation in the valuables book.
The staff member will provide any support and advice that may be required by the senior nurse in charge in the implementation of this policy.
Registered Manger Provide Care Solutions is responsible for encouraging residents to keep an inventory of their own possessions and reminding service users of their responsibility for contents insurance.
Director Of Estates and Facilities is responsible to investigating any incident relating to the theft of patient valuables which are held under the responsibility of Provide.
It may be necessary to contact the Police, Provide’s Counter Fraud and Human Resources if it felt a crime has been committed and the responsibility falls with the Director of Estates and Facilities to undertake this.
5. Consultation and Communication
This policy applies to all ward nursing staff
6. Monitoring
The following arrangements will be made to monitor the effectiveness of this policy:
• An un-announced audit may be carried out by the organisation’s ASMS to ensure that all patient valuables and valuables are safe.
• Incidents and Complaints regarding patient’s valuables will be monitored in accordance with the organisations Incident reporting and Complaints policies with data available for review at Quality & Safety Committee Meetings.
• Where the audit identifies deficiencies, actions will be identified and implementation monitored by the senior nurse in charge with support from the Executive Clinical and Operations Director.
7. Service users Property Community Hospitals (Patients)
Where a patient wishes to hand over items for safe keeping, the following procedure must be followed.
All money, valuables and personal property must be recorded on the Patients Property Register (Appendix A) in the presence of two members of staff. Jewellery etc. must not be described as ‘gold’ watch, or ‘silver’ bracelet, but as ‘yellow metal’ watch, or ‘white metal’ bracelet. The entry must be signed and dated by both members of staff and, wherever possible, by the patient. If any alterations are made, signatures must also be appended next to the alteration(s).
A numbered receipt (Appendix B) must be completed and a copy given to the patient. Items of clothing etc should be securely stored.
Items of value eg jewellery, cash (up to £100), postal orders and other negotiable instruments etc, handed in for safe keeping must be deposited in the ward safe immediately.
When property is handed over to the ward clerk, he/she should confirm that the items accord with those shown on the Patients Property Register.
If there is any discrepancy between the property handed over and the details appearing on the Patients Property Register, then the matter should be referred, immediately, to the senior nurse manager.
The ward clerk must arrange for any cash handed in that is in excess of £100 to be banked. Other property should be retained, within the safe, in a sealed envelope bearing the name of the patient and the receipt number from the Patients Property Register. A separate record must be completed detailing the contents of the safe (Appendix C). Where there is a sealed envelope containing patient’s property, it is sufficient to record ‘Patients Property - <Patients Name> - Sealed envelope’.
At any time when responsibility for the contents of the safe passes from one person to another, a handover must take place and a signature and date obtained from the person taking over responsibility, confirming the contents (Appendix D).
The ward clerk or cashier will hold the key to the safe. When not on duty, the ward clerk or cashier should hand the safe key to a nominated senior officer or senior nurse on the ward.
Should a patient wish to remove one or some of the items from safekeeping, the envelope should be opened, by two members of staff, in his/her presence and a note made detailing the property removed. The patient should add his/her signature and date against the entry. A similar note must be made in the Patients’ Property Register, the entry being signed and dated by the two members of staff and the patient. The receipt previously given to the patient should, whenever possible, also be amended. Any items still to be retained by the GROUP must be deposited in the safe in a fresh sealed envelope and signed across the flaps.
If requested, up to £100 in cash per patient can be returned to patient and the patient must sign to confirm receipt of the monies. Before doing so, however, the ward clerk or cashier must check to ensure that the patient has sufficient funds in safekeeping.
Upon discharge, the patient should be asked to check the contents of their sealed envelope in the presence of two members of staff and to sign and date the Patient Property Register, confirming return of all items.
A request should be sent to the Finance Department to enable a cheque to be sent to the patient for any balance of monies being held at the bank.
If a patient has decided to retain the valuables and cash in their possession confirmation of the decision is to be recorded in a disclaimer (Appendix E)
Deceased Patient Property
Should a patient die whilst in hospital, Finance Department must be notified and details given of all property held.
Small sums of money (up to £100), items of small value (up to £100) and clothing may be released to the next-of-kin upon receipt of an indemnity form.
When the value of the patient property is more than £100 but less than £5,000 the Finance Department may authorise release of such cash, valuables and property to:
• A person named as Executor in a will
• A solicitor acting on behalf of the Executor or Administrator
• The next of kin (who must be over 18 years old) if the GROUP is advised that no will exists, providing that an Indemnity Form is signed by the recipient and a witness.
In cases where the value of the property is over £5,000, property must be released to the person authorised to deal with the Estate, on production of Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
Where there is no will and no lawful next of kin and where the Estate exceeds £500 after payment of funeral expenses, the Estate belongs to the Crown. Particulars of the property should be notified to the Treasury Solicitor.
Long Term Patient Property
Where a patient/client is in long term care of the NHS they may be entitled to various benefit claims. The GROUP is responsible for ensuring these are processed correctly and that there is a nominated signatory for all claim forms on behalf of thepatient/client.
The nominated signatory/Finance Department will be responsible for keeping an overview of all patients/clients monies, monitoring and checking expenditure from those accounts.
Patients/clients monies may be accessed through the petty cash system and payable order requests raised through the Finance Department.
Reconciliation of Safe Content
During office hours the main safe is reconciled daily. All logged items are accounted for and logged along with the time and date of the reconciliation.
There are two keys to the safe, one master key (held by the senior nurse in charge / bereavement officer) and one key handed to a designated deputy. Both keys must remain on site and with a responsible duty officer. Whilst only one of these keys will be required to open the safe a minimum of two persons must be present in the area whilst the safe is in the unlocked position and remain in the area until the safe contents are secured. At Braintree Community Hospital there is only one key and it is stored in the coded key safe.
The safe is to be kept locked at all other times (excluding when a deposit is made and when a patient requests their belongings).
Ward safes are also checked daily by the senior nurse in charge and these checks must be documented to provide a clear audit trail.
Loss of Patients Valuables
In the event that valuables are thought to be lost or thought to be stolen, it is the responsibility of the senior nurse in charge to initiate a full investigation into the alleged loss and where possible arrange for the safe return of valuables.
In the event that valuables cannot be found the senior nurse in charge will liaise with the Director of Estates and Facilities for the organisation.
A Datix incident form must be completed for all reported lost or stolen items.
8. Service users with Provide Care Solution Properties
Service users who have moved into residential care home should regard their own room as their private space and furnish and decorate it with their own possessions and to their own taste as they wish. The home will provide whatever else is needed to create a pleasing and comfortable environment.
All service user property should be recorded on admission to the home within using a Property Inventory see Appendix F for example.
It is encouraged that photographs of all valuable items will be added to the property inventory stating where the item/items are stored or if they are worn by the service user.
The home manager, deputy or admin staff are responsible for taking a copy of the comprehensive inventory and will be updated by admin staff or relatives/guardians on a regular basis.
Service users to take out a care home contents insurance policy to cover. Property is brought into the home at the owner’s risk and we advise you to take out your own insurance policy for cover for this. List is not exhaustive
• Fire
• Escape of water
• Accidental damage (optional extra)
• Storms
• Floods
• Theft or loss
A safe can be installed by residents to store valuables in own units.
Deceased service users
On the death of a service user the room must remain locked at all times until the room is cleared within 14 days by the relatives/Guardians.
Appendix A: Patient Property Register
Signature
Date
Appendix D: Handover of responsibility for safe ContentsCommunity Hospital/Ward
Ward
Confirmation of cash balance/valuables/cashbox/other contents in safe/other secure container.
Current Cash Value £_________________
Current Cheque Value £_________________
Other Items Value £_________________
Total Value £_________________
Details of Any Other Items
Transferred From Transferred To
Appendix E: DISCLAIMER FORM FOR PATIENTS VALUABLES AND CASH - Community Hospital
DISCLAIMER FORM FOR PATIENTS’ VALUABLES AND CASH
I have, by my own choice, decided to retain the following valuables and cash in my possession:
The organisation has offered to place these items into safe keeping and issue me with a receipt. I do not wish to accept this offer, and I fully accept the responsibility for their future security. Signed:………………………………………………………………………………………… Name:…………………………………………………………………………………………
Date:……………………………………………………………………………………………
Witnessed by: Name:……………………………………………………………………………………… Signature:………………………………………………………………………………………