The Audit and Risk Committee Meeting took place on 15 May 2012 in Meeting Room 1 of Richmond House with a viedo link to Quarry House in Leeds. Members discussed the Annual Assurance Report, the DH Strategic Risk Register, Quality Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) and DH Resource Accounts.
Present
Name
Mike Wheeler Chair, Non-Executive
Jane Ramsey Non-Executive
Michael Hearty Non-Executive
In attendance
Una O’Brien, Permanent Secretary
Richard Douglas, Director General, Policy, Strategy and Finance
Bronwyn Baker, Head of Internal Audit
Stephen Mitchell, Deputy Director, Head of Governance
Colin Wilcox, National Audit Office
Alastair MacLellan, Director of Group Finance
Cameron Robson* Deputy Director of Group Finance
Janet Perry, NHS Chief Financial Controller
Financial Information and Accounts *
Apologies:
David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive
David Flory, Director General, NHS Finance, Performance & Operations
Secretariat
Stephen Waring, Deputy Director,DH Secretariat
Secretariat Team Member
* joined the meeting by VC
Issue
1 Introductions
1.1 Mike Wheeler welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2 Agenda
2.1 Minutes: The minutes of 28 February were agreed, and no issues were raised for discussion. Mike went through each outstanding action from the previous meeting; all had been completed by the time of this meeting.
2.2 Internal Audit: Bronwyn Baker updated the Committee on the Annual Assurance Report 2011/12 and the Directorate Governance Reviews. Bronwyn informed the Committee that recruitment was underway to appoint a Risk Manager to help strengthen the central reporting and monitoring of risks, and improve the overall application of policy in the Department.
2.3 Risk Management: The DH Strategic Risk Register was considered by the Committee. The Committee would look at how the Department identified, mitigated and managed risk, at the next Committee meeting.
2.4 Quality Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP): Joyce Drohan reported to the Committee how progress was being measured and monitored against the headline figure of £20billion savings over four years; the risks to the success of delivering on the QIPP challenge and the mitigating actions in place.
2.5 DH Resource Account: Richard Douglas updated the Committee on the latest position on progress with the DH Resource Account. The process was currently running some way behind schedule in terms of preparing a consolidated account. Therefore, the Committee members agreed it was unlikely that the Department would be in a position to lay the Accounts pre-recess.
2.6 DH Follow up of External Report Recommendations: Stephen Mitchell updated Committee members on the follow-up of external report recommendations, and reported on one outstanding recommendation which would be delivered by end June 2012.