Annual Report and Accounts - The Great Western Hospital

5.3 Audit Committee
5.3.1 The Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee
The Trust has an Audit Committee known as the Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee which is
responsible for overseeing the establishment and maintenance of an effective system of internal
control, and management reporting; ensuring that there are robust processes in place for the effective
management of clinical and corporate risk to underpin the delivery of the Trust’s principal objectives;
overseeing the effective operation and use of Internal Audit; encouraging and enhancing the
effectiveness of the relationship with External Audit; overseeing the corporate governance aspects
that cover the public service values of accountability, probity and openness and overseeing the
information governance arrangements of the Trust.
The Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee’s Terms of Reference are available on request from the
Company Secretary. The members of the Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee and their
attendance at meetings during the year are set out below.
The main objectives of a committee with responsibility for audit are to ensure that the NHS Board
activities are within the law and regulations governing the NHS and that an effective internal control
system is maintained. These objectives can be achieved through the committee’s judgement,
independent and objective review and through its relationships with the various parties involved.
Through these it is able to draw assurance as to whether an appropriate system of internal control
has been established and maintained.
Internal Control
The Committee assures the Board that the system of internal control is operating effectively. The
Committee monitors internal control systems and the External Auditor provides an independent view
of the overall management arrangements.
Internal Audit
The Committee evaluates the extent to which the internal audit service complies with the mandatory
audit standards and agreed performance measures. The internal audit function for Great Western
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is carried out by Parkhill.
External Audit
In auditing the accounts of an NHS Foundation Trust the auditors must, by examination of the
accounts and otherwise, satisfy themselves that they are prepared in accordance with directions
under paragraph 25(2) of Schedule 7 of the 2006 Act; they comply with the requirements of all other
provisions contained in, or having effect under, any enactment which is applicable to the accounts;
that proper practices have been observed in the compilation of the accounts; and that the Trust has
made proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources.
The external audit function for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is carried out by
KPMG.
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