Download Report to Board, Thursday 30 March 2017 Report title Audit

Item 16
Report to Board, Thursday 30th March 2017
Report title
Audit Committee summary report
Report from
Nick Hardie, non-executive director
Prepared by
Geoff Stokes, head of corporate governance
Previously discussed
at
N/A
Attachments
N/A
Brief summary of report
This report summarises the key agenda items discussed and key decisions made
during the March meeting of the Audit committee.
Action Required/Recommendation.
The board is asked to note the discussions and decisions made by the Audit committee
For Assurance
For decision
For discussion
To note 
AUDIT COMMITTEE SUMMARY REPORT
21 March 2017
Committee
Governance
 Quorate – Yes
 Attendance (membership) – 3/3
 Agenda completed – Yes
The committee covered the following standard items;
 Waivers to standing financial instructions (SFIs)
 Losses and special payments
 Internal audit update and recommendations tracker
 Counter fraud progress report
 External audit benchmarking and sector developments
In addition, the following were also covered;
 Audit and risk committee terms of reference – these were
reviewed and agreed by the committee
Agenda items
discussed

Annual review of SFIs – these are on the board agenda to
approve. The committee noted the exercise to simplify and
shorten SFIs and the benchmarking exercise undertaken by
KPMG that supported the changes to delegated approval levels.
A further iteration of SFIs will take place later in the year.

Abu Dhabi accounting – the committee considered various
accounting proposals in respect of the investment in Abu Dhabi,
particularly in the context of the trust's approaching financial year
end

VAT accounting error – this is explained in the report to the
board from the chief finance office

Board assurance framework and risk management – the head
of corporate governance explained the current position regarding
the board assurance framework and risk management in the trust
and issues identified in the initial review of corporate governance
carried out by Deloitte last year. The committee discussed further
actions needed to strengthen assurance and the overall timeline
of when these changes will take place

Draft annual governance statement (AGS) – a draft AGS was
presented and discussed, This will form part of the annual report
to be approved in May

Internal audit review, referral to treatment – the committee
heard of good progress made in improving patient pathways and
strengthening data accuracy for patients waiting for treatment

Internal audit review, information governance toolkit – the
committee received a positive report about the trust’s compliance
with NHS requirements for managing information governance

Internal audit plan 2017/18 – the committee reviewed the draft
audit plan which will be formally approved at its next meeting in
May. The plan is likely to include audits of the management of
satellite sites, cyber security, temporary staff management as well
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Moorfields private and the trusts approaches to equality and
diversity
Key decisions
Additional
comments to
note

Draft head of internal audit opinion – this shows no significant
concerns and will be updated as part of the annual report

Counter fraud plan 2017/18 – the draft plan was reviewed and
will include reviews of pre-employment checks, invoicing and
procurement.

Identification of a bank account – the chief financial officer
informed the committee that a bank account had been discovered
relating to the trust’s operations in Bedford which is not under the
control of the trust. The bank account is being closed and funds
transferred to the trust
The committee approved the draft terms of reference and the SFIs and
approved the draft annual plans for internal audit and counter-fraud.
The newly appointed non-executive director, David Hills, was in
attendance for this meeting and he will formally join the committee at its
next meeting.
Thanks were given to Andrew Nebel, who is stepping down as a nonexecutive, for his service to the committee and the trust.
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