SCI's 'payments' to nurses

If offering inducements (oh dear that's not the word, is it ... no, no, that won't do at all, I'm sorry) if the offering of payment to a nursing home in return for services rendered (services any decent nursing home used to do without the expectation of payment) is to be acceptable to the profession, it must be deemed to be as a disbursement, and must be quoted by the funeral director in writing to the family as such at the time of funeral arrangements, and must be itemised specifically on the Final Account, in the same manner as Doctor's fees, Minister's fees, etc.

If a Funeral Director is not willing to itemise this disbursement then there could be something dodgy or unethical about it. It's no use saying "We can't do that because the funeral cost will go up". Why should it? Surely it's already accounted for, that's why the National Association of Funeral Directors stated that for the payment to be acceptable an account must be produced. If an account is produced and a payment is made, that payment is a disbursement and should be disclosed as such.

I also feel that commissions paid to Age Concern for the sale of a plan, the staff members' remuneration for that sale, florist's commission, mason's etc, should be disclosed to the bereaved in much the same way as insurance companies and financial advisers have to disclose such information. I also feel we should be open to the public about whom we work for: eg "I am Joe Bloggs from Mega Funeral service, I've come to sell an Age Concern Funeral plan."

Let us all be honest to the bereaved, and to ourselves. Disclosure of this information will be good for us all, and stamp out rumours of unfair dealings.