Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13 - Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Financial AccountsAnnual Governance StatementScope of responsibilityAs Accounting Officer, I haveresponsibility for maintaining a soundsystem of internal control that supportsthe achievement of the NHS FoundationTrust’s policies, aims and objectives,whilst safeguarding the public fundsand departmental assets for which I ampersonally responsible, in accordancewith the responsibilities assigned to me.I am also responsible for ensuring thatthe NHS Foundation Trust is administeredprudently and economically and thatresources are applied efficiently andeffectively. I also acknowledge myresponsibilities as set out in the NHSFoundation Trust Accounting OfficerMemorandum.The purpose of the system ofinternal controlThe system of internal control is designedto manage risk to a reasonable levelrather than to eliminate all risk of failure toachieve policies, aims and objectives; itcan therefore only provide reasonable andnot absolute assurance of effectiveness.The system of internal control is basedon an ongoing process designed toidentify and prioritise the risks to theachievement of the policies, aims andobjectives of The Royal Bournemouth andChristchurch Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust, to evaluate the likelihood of thoserisks being realised and the impact shouldthey be realised, and to manage themefficiently, effectively and economically.The system of internal control has beenin place in The Royal Bournemouth andChristchurch Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust for the year ended 31 March 2013and up to the date of approval of theannual report and accounts.Capacity to handle riskAs Accounting Officer I have ultimateresponsibility for ensuring that there isan effective risk management system inplace within the Foundation Trust and formeeting all statutory responsibilities andadhering to guidance issued by Monitorin respect of governance. The executivewith specific responsibility for risk isthe Director of Nursing and Midwifery.However, the requirement to managerisk more effectively is a responsibilityaffecting all staff in every part of theFoundation Trust, from the controlof finance, through all the disciplinessupporting and delivering the environmentof care, to the direct delivery of clinicalcare itself, risk management is everyone’sresponsibility. The Foundation Trust’sRisk Management Strategy clearly definesthese responsibilities and providesguidance for the fulfilment of these roles.The Trust has an accredited IOSH riskmanagement training course in placeand it is mandatory for all managers andstaff in a managerial role to attend. TheBoard of Directors has undertaken IOSHDirecting Safely training. The trainingprovides staff with the skills requiredto recognise, manage and monitor riskwithin their areas of responsibility. Riskmanagement and health and safetytraining is also including on inductionand mandatory training programmesfor all staff. Formal training is thensupported by a variety of other resourcesthat seek to promote and facilitateindividual, departmental, directorateand organisational learning. As anexample, the Clinical Governance & RiskCommittee produce a quarterly ClinicalGovernance report which highlightspatient safety, patient experience andpatient outcome trends for the period.The report includes the results ofcomplaints, claims and adverse incidentinvestigations and notes examplesof, and recommendations for, qualityimprovement and safe practice. Theserecommendations are fed throughfor discussion at directorate clinicalgovernance groups, senior nurses andclinical leader meetings.6Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13