AH ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Attendance at Board of Directors and Key Board Committee Meetings (Cont’d)
Board of
Directors
Audit
Committee
Clinical
Quality
Assurance
Committee
Resources
and Business
Development
Committee
Workforce
and OD
Integrated
Governance
Committee
Research,
Education &
Innovation
Committee
Louise Dunn
2/4
Attendee
Not a
Member
Not a
Member
2/2
Attendee
Not a
Member
Not a
Member
0
Mark
Flannagan
6/7
Attendee
Not a
Member
Not a
Member
4/7
Attendee
3/3
Not a
Member
1
Due to her role as lead for the Cheshire and Merseyside Five Year Forward View, the Board agreed that Louise
Shepherd would cease to be a formal member of the Trust’s assurance committees for the period in order to
accommodate this important national work. The Deputy Chief Executive represented Mrs Shepherd at these
meetings.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The Audit Committee is comprised of Non-Executive
Directors only, excluding the Trust Chair. The
Committee was chaired by Steve Igoe throughout the
year, a Non-Executive Director with ‘recent relevant
financial experience’ which is best practice. The
Director of Finance and Director of Corporate Affairs
together with the Operational Director of Finance are
invited to attend and the Committee may request the
attendance of the Chief Executive and any other officer
of the Trust to answer any points which may arise.
Attendance by members is set out above.
The aim of the Audit Committee is to provide one
of the key means by which the Board of Directors
ensures effective internal control arrangements are
in place. In addition, the Committee provides a form
of independent check upon the executive arm of the
Board. As defined within the NHS Audit Committee
Handbook (2014), the Committee has responsibilities
for the review of governance, risk management and
internal control covering both clinical and non-clinical
areas. In discharging these duties the Committee is
required to review:
• Internal financial control matters, such as
safeguarding of assets, the maintenance of proper
accounting records and the reliability of financial
information.
• Risks regarding disclosure statements (for example
the Annual Governance Statement) which are
supported by the Head of Audit Opinion and other
opinions provided
• The underlying assurances as detailed in the Board
Assurance Framework.
• The adequacy of relevant policies, legality issues and
Codes of Conduct.
• The policies and procedures related to fraud and
corruption.
The conduct of this remit is achieved firstly, through
the Committee being appropriately constituted, and
secondly by the Committee being effective in ensuring
internal accountability and the delivery of audit and
assurance services.
Internal Audit
The Internal Audit service is provided by Mersey
Internal Audit Agency (MIAA), an independent NHS
organisation. The Director of Audit Opinion and
Annual Report for 2017/18 reports that MIAA have
demonstrated their compliance with NHS mandatory
Internal Audit Standards. Internal Audit provides an
independent and objective appraisal service embracing
two key areas:
• The provision of an independent and objective
opinion to the Accountable Officer, the Board and
the Audit Committee on the degree to which risk
management, control and governance support
the achievement of the agreed objectives of the
organisation.
• The provision of an independent and objective
consultancy service specifically to help line
management improve the organisation’s risk
management, control and governance arrangements.
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 65
Annual Report & Accounts 2017/18