APPROVED
NHS GRAMPIAN
Minute of Meeting of GRAMPIAN NHS BOARD held in Open Session
on Friday 25 June 2010 at 1.30pm
in the Conference Room, Summerfield House, 2 Eday Road, Aberdeen
Present
Dr David Cameron
Mr David Anderson
Mr Raymond Bisset
Mr Richard Carey
Dr Roelf Dijkhuizen
Mr Alan Gall
Councillor Bill Howatson
Mr Terry Mackie
Professor Val Maehle
Mr Charles Muir
Mr Mike Scott
Mrs Elinor Smith
Mr Gordon Stephen
Dr Lesley Wilkie
Chairman
Non-executive Board Member
Non-executive Board Member
Chief Executive
Medical Director
Director of Finance
Non-executive Board Member
Non-executive Board Member
Non-executive Board Member
Non-executive Board Member
Non-executive Board Member
Director of Nursing and Quality
Non-executive Board Member
Director of Public Health and Planning
By Invitation Mr John Brett
Mrs Laura Gray
Mr Garry Kidd
Ms Mary Bowman
Ms Linda Porter
Mr Mark Sinclair
Head of Health and Safety
Attending
Assistant Board Secretary
Miss Lesley Hall
Item
Director of Corporate Communications/Board Secretary
Interim Assistant Director of Finance
Senior Audit Manager, Audit Scotland
Senior Audit Manager, Audit Scotland
Director of Human Resources and Strategic Change
Subject
Action
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, particularly
Mrs Linda Porter and Ms Mary Bowman, Senior Audit Managers from Audit
Scotland, the Board’s External Auditors.
1.
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillor Lee Bell, Councillor Kate Dean,
Professor Neva Haites, Mrs Elizabeth McDade, Dr John Reid and Dr Pauline
Strachan.
2.
REPORT TO THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE ON THE 2009/10
AUDIT
Mr Gall advised that the report under International Standard on Auditing (ISA)
260 contained issues identified by Audit Scotland during the audit process
which required to be reported to those charged with governance of NHS
Grampian to enable appropriate action to be taken.
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Item
Subject
Action
Ms Bowman explained that the report highlighted areas including Equal Pay
Claims and Agenda for Change which required to be addressed. The report
contained proposed resolutions to these issues.
She concluded that the letter of representation to be signed by the Chief
Executive would give satisfactory assurance that the issues identified would
be addressed. This allowed the Auditors to provide a clean independent audit
report on the accounts.
The Board noted the ISA 260 Report and agreed to the Chief Executive
signing the letter of representation on behalf of NHS Grampian.
3.
ANNUAL STATEMENT TO NHS GRAMPIAN BOARD BY AUDIT
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Councillor Howatson, Chair of NHS Grampian Audit Committee, referred to
his statement. He explained the role of the Audit Committee was to ensure
that relevant controls were in place in the organisation to allow the Chief
Executive as Accountable Officer to sign the Statement on Internal Control.
Internal Audit (PricewaterhouseCoopers) had provided the Audit Committee
with an annual statement of assurance on the adequacy of internal controls.
The NHS Grampian Statement on Internal Control outlined the work done
during 2009/10 to ensure that an ongoing risk management process was in
place.
He explained the Committee’s governance and other responsibilities as set
out in his statement and advised that the remit and workplan were kept under
review.
Councillor Howatson thanked the Director of Finance and his team as well as
Internal and External Audit staff for the work done to produce the annual
accounts.
The Board accepted the Statement from the Audit Committee Chair.
4.
APPROVAL OF GRAMPIAN HEALTH BOARD’S ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
2009/2010
Mr Gall explained that the size of the annual accounts this year reflected a
move from general accounting principles to International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS).
He gave a brief overview of the accounts, explaining the different sections
including the Directors’ Report, including details and membership of
governance committees, and the Operating and Financial Review. With
reference to the Financial Performance and Position he explained that NHS
Grampian had met its three financial targets of Revenue Resource Limit,
Capital Resource Limit and Cash Requirement. He pointed out that these had
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Item
Subject
Action
been achieved in extremely difficult financial circumstances. He advised that
NHS Grampian had not yet received its full allocation under NRAC and it was
a tribute to staff in the organisation to have met the financial targets. He
emphasised the need to ensure parity as soon as possible.
Mr Gall referred to the Remuneration Report which required to be signed off
by the Chief Executive, and to the Statement of Health Board Members’
Responsibilities in Respect of the Accounts which required to be signed off by
him as Director of Finance and by the Chairman.
The Statement on Internal Control outlined the systems in place and the risk
and control framework. This was of particular relevance to the Audit
Committee. He thanked Internal Audit for their support. The Chief Executive
was required to sign the Statement on Internal Control which concluded that
there were no significant control weaknesses or failure to achieve the
standards set out in the guidance on the Statement on Internal Control.
He drew attention to the Internal Auditor’s Report on pages 24 and 25 which
gave an unqualified audit report.
He referred to the Operating Cost Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
Statement and other Statements and Notes to the Accounts.
Ms Bowman advised that the Independent Auditor’s Report outlined the
respective responsibilities of the Board, Accountable Officer and auditor and
explained the basis of the audit opinion. In this case, the opinion was
unqualified and Mr McConnell, Assistant Director of Audit (Health) for Audit
Scotland would sign off this report.
In response to a point raised by Mr Scott, the terminology on page 45 was
amended to read “Staff with Disabilities”, prior to signing the accounts.
The Board approved the adoption of the Grampian Health Board
(commonly known as NHS Grampian) Annual Accounts 2009/10.
5.
PATIENTS PRIVATE FUNDS - ABSTRACT OF RECEIPTS AND
PAYMENTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2010
Mr Gall advised that transactions for private funds
care was an important area of work and had been
Williamson and Dunn, Chartered Accountants.
acceptance of the Auditor’s statement and for the
Payments to be signed.
of patients when in NHS
independently audited by
Mr Gall recommended
abstract of Receipts and
The Board approved the abstract of Receipts and Payments which was
subsequently signed by the Director of Finance and by the Chief
Executive.
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6.
CORPORATE HEALTH & SAFETY STRATEGY 2010-2013
Mr Sinclair introduced the item which had been carried forward from the
Board meeting on 1 June 2010, and invited Mr Brett to give a brief powerpoint
presentation. Mr Brett explained the key points were the Health and Safety
Priorities for 2010/11, Corporate Health and Safety (H&S) Strategy for
2010/13 and Fire Safety Management.
He advised that the main aim of the three year strategy was to get “back to
basics”, to build a solid H&S foundation on which to form an effective H&S
culture and working towards more simple and user friendly systems. He
explained that current initiatives included streamlining policies and
documents, improving and proliferating training and working with topic
specialists. He stressed the need to ensure staff and management were
aware of their obligations.
He advised of issues relating to fire safety management. Mr Carey advised
that discussions were taking place with Fire Service colleagues to address
issues at Campbell Hospital, Portsoy in a proportionate way. Lessons would
be learned from the recent fire in Ward 34 at ARI.
In response to a query, Mrs Smith explained that the Risk Management
Group’s remit was broader than H&S. Dr Cameron explained that the
Occupational H&S Committee was a legal requirement and work was being
taken forward with staff side to progress this.
The Board approved the Corporate Health and Safety Strategy for
2010-2013
7.
DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS
Tuesday 6 July 2010 (Seminar), Conference Room, Summerfield House
Tuesday 3 August 2010 (Meeting), Woodhill House, Westburn Road
Signed ……………………………………….
Chairman
Date …………………………………
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