Times are hard. Amid talk of pay freezes and “tough decisions” it seems some NHS hospitals are helping staff sell their jewellery.

A press release from Hillgrove PR last week trumpeted that “Las Vegas gold party organiser Ounces2Pounds” would visit NHS hospitals in the lead-up to Christmas to help employees exchange old jewellery for cash.

The original press release said a “three month contract with the NHS” would enable staff to “bring in old pieces of jewellery in exchange for cash”. Funnily enough, that sentence was removed after HSJ started asking questions. Instead, staff would merely be able to find out about pawning their jewels, not actually do so there and then.

So much for charity Christmas cards and cake bakes.