AUDIT COMMITTEE

Minutes of Meeting held on 26th October 2016 at 4:00pm, Boardroom, Trust Headquarters, Ground Floor, Bretten Hall, Antrim

Present:Mr Jim Moore, Non-Executive, Chair

Mr Paul Corrigan, Non-Executive Director

Mrs Geraldine McGahey, Non-Executive Director

In Attendance:Mr Owen Harkin, Director of Finance

Mrs Catherine McKeown, Head of Internal Audit

Mr David Charles, Assistant Head of Internal Audit

Mr Colin Bryans, Acting Assistant Director of Finance

Mrs Sinead O’Kane, Head of Governance

Mrs Jacqui Reid, Acting Assistant Director of Human Resources

Mr Tony Fahy, Counter Fraud and Probity Service, Business Services Organisation

Mrs Elizabeth Brownlees, Director of Human Resources

Miss Karen O’Kane, Administrative Support

Mr Moore began the meeting by introducing Mr Paul Corrigan, who had recently joined the Audit Committee as a Non-Executive Director.

  1. Apologies
/ Action
Apologies had been received from the Northern Ireland Audit Office representatives.
  1. Conflicts of Interest

There were no conflicts of interest.
  1. Financial Investigation

Audit Committee went into confidential session to discuss this matter.
  1. Whistleblowing (Raising Concerns)

Mrs Brownlees joined the meeting at this point.
Mrs Reid provided an update on the 2015/16 position, the position in 2016/17 to date, as well as the Internal Audit report and the report from the RQIA.
In 2016/17, one concern had been reported and one potential fraud issue. Both are being progressed with meetings being held with relevant directors and senior managers.
RQIA had undertaken a regional review of Whistleblowing, which was received in September 2016 and contained eight recommendations for the Trust to action. Of these there were five priority 1 recommendations which are to be completed by March 2017. The report will be brought to Audit Committee in due course. RQIA had recommended that Non-Executive Directors be whistleblowing champions.
Mr Moore thanked Mrs Reid for her comprehensive report and asked if staff now felt able to be open in raising concerns. Mrs Reid answered that the Trust continued to use a 2 pronged approach of working to instil the Trust’s values and to provide training on raising concerns.
  1. Head of Internal Audit Mid-Year Assurance Report

Mrs McKeown noted that the Mid-Year Assurance Report provided a summary of the position at 6 months into the 2016/17 financial year. Internal Audit had completed 10 reports, with 1 limited assurance, 1 substantive, 4 satisfactory and 4 split assurances. There were 18 priority 1 findings. Audit Committee noted the statement.
  1. Mid-Year Assurance Statement

Mr Harkin said that a draft statement had been submitted to the Department of Health and it would be brought to Trust Board on 27th October for final agreement.
  1. Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be scheduled for mid-November 2016.

Northern Health and Social Care Trust Audit Committee Minutes26th October 2016