Meeting date: 18 September 2019
Meeting Venue: Meeting room 1, Skipton House, London 11:00-13:15
Meeting title: NHSCFA Board meeting
Board members in attendance
- (TT) Tom Taylor (Chair of the NHSCFA Board)
- (CS) Professor Carl Stychin (Non Executive Director, NHSCFA)
- (MS) Martin Spencer (Non Executive Director, NHSCFA)
- (JS) Jayne Scott (Non Executive Director, NHSCFA)
- (SF) Susan Frith (Chief Executive, NHSCFA)
- (MJB) Matthew Jordan Boyd (Director of Finance & Corporate Governance)
- (RM) Rachel Monaghan (Director of Performance & Improvement NHSCFA)
Other attendees:
- (PG) Paul Golightly (Director, Department of Health and Social Care Anti Fraud Unit )
- (RR) Richard Rippin (Head of Operations NHSCFA) - part meeting only
- (RH) Richard Hampton (Head of Intelligence & Fraud Prevention NHSCFA) part meeting only
- (AS) Ann Sturgess (Corporate Governance Manager and Board Secretary, NHSCFA)
- (MR) Mandeep Ruprai (Staff Engagement Group - Observer)
- (FM) Freedom Mackay (Organisational Development Assistant NHSCFA) - minute taker
1. Welcome
- 1.1 TT welcomed all to the NHSCFA Board meeting.
2. Apologies
- 2.1 None
3. Declarations of interest
- 3.1 The Board confirmed that declarations of interest would be resubmitted to ensure they are up to date.
4. Minutes for approval
- 4.1 The Board accepted the minutes of 31 July 2019 as a true record.
5. Action log
- 5.1 The Board reviewed the action log and updated accordingly.
6. Updates:
- 6.1 General update from the Chair
- 6.1.1 TT reported that he and SF had attended their first Performance Review with Chris Young and Paul Golightly from DHSC which is a requirement under the Accountability Framework agreement between DHSC and NHSCFA. TT noted that the meeting had been positive and these would be held in future on a quarterly basis.
- 6.1.2 TT updated on the HM Treasury’s revised version of The Orange Book – Management of Risk – Principles and Concepts. TT highlighted that it would be important to work to the framework outlined in the document and advised that he would provide a summary of the contents for ease of reference to the Board. Action point 57: AS to circulate TT’s summary of the HM Treasure Orange Book to the Board.
- 6.1.3 TT advised that he will be attending the Government Internal Audit Profession Audit Risk & Assurance Committee event on 13 November 2019 at which the NAO and The Treasury will be presenting.
- 6.1.4 TT noted that he & SF & PG would be attending the DHSC Audit Committee following the Board meeting and would report back to the Board.
7. NED updates
- 7.1 JS advised that the NAO audit of the annual report & accounts (ARA) was now in progress again. JS suggested that an extraordinary Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) is held on 30.10.19 review the final ARA. The agenda for this to also include a review of the progress against the GIAA recommendations on Key Financial Systems. JS further suggested the next agenda for the next ARC, scheduled for 13.11.19, includes a review of the lessons learnt from the 2018/19 audit and a report on the future financial management of the NHSCFA including the general ledger.
- 7.2 MJB advised that he had met with the NAO to discuss the audit findings. MJB confirmed that plans were in place to implement the general ledger by December.
- 7.3 MJB confirmed that a business case had been submitted for the recruitment of a financial and fixed asset manager.
- 7.4 CS confirmed that he had recently attended the Cambridge Economic Crime Symposium and advised that he would be looking into NHSCFA involvement at next year’s event.
- 7.5 MS advised that he would be attending the next DHSC REMCO. MS will also be attending a meeting with Mark Cheeseman to discuss the Counter Fraud Cross Government Initiatives. MS requested an update on any work or links the NHSCFA has with University Hospital Leicester NHS Trust who are leading areas of data analytics. MS confirmed this may present an engagement opportunity if links are not already in place. Action point 58: SF to establish current links between NHSCFA and University Hospital Leicester NHS Trust and update MS.
8. Finance report
- 8.1 MJB provided an overview of the proposed 2019/20 capital budget of £2.134m and gave a breakdown of the Capital Programme. MJB explained that an addition would be made to the Risk Register in relation to the mitigating factors required to manage the likelihood of no increase to the budget in 2021 and the potential impact on fraud targets. Action point 59: MJB to add mitigating factors to manage the possibility of no increase in budget in 2021 to Risk Register, along with likely fraud target impacts.
- 8.2 The Board agreed that a 3 year capital programme would be developed further at the Board Strategy Day on 27.9.19. Action point 60: AS to add discussion on the year capital programme to the agenda for the Board Strategy Day on 27.9.19.
- 8.3 The Board discussed the contents of the Finance report on capital budget, noted the contents and approved the capital budget for 2019/20.
- 8.4 MJB outlined the contents of the Finance paper on financial performance. The Board discussed and approved the contents of the report.
- 8.5 JS requested an update on the current capital programme is presented to the ARC on 13.11.19. Action point 61: AS to add update on current capital programme to ARC agenda on 13.11.19
- 8.6 MJB advised that he had recently met with the DHSC to discuss a 5 year high level plan including how to influence the SR20 bid.
9. Operational (investigations)
- 9.1 RR updated on Operation Quaglia. RR noted that the case may attract media attention. RR confirmed that reactive lines were being prepared in advance. The Board discussed the potential implications. It was also recommended that further checks into the employment background of senior executive staff who currently hold posts, or have held posts recently are reviewed. Action point 62: RR to ensure communications plans are in place in relation to Operation Quaglia including checking reactive lines for the media are prepared and employment background of senior staff is established.
10. Risk and Issues Register overview
- 10.1 MJB noted that 2 new risks had been added to the Risks and Issues Register. The Board agreed that the risk name column should include a brief description in future reports, and a brief rational for status of each risk in addition to those provide where scores had changed. MS requested further information regarding the reasons the risks relating to Case Management and Business Continuity have required extensions to the initial deadline dates. Action point 63: AS to request and circulate details on further details explaining why the risks relating to Case Management and Business Continuity have required extensions to the initial deadline dates. It was noted by the Board the full details of risk & Issues would be included in the ARC papers for 13.11.19.
11. Committee updates
- 11.1 A REMCO committee update was provided by MS giving a summary of the issues that were discussed at the REMCO meeting which took place immediately prior to the Board meeting. SF advised that she will be reporting at the next REMCO on opportunities and options to identify high and low performers. SF also confirmed RM was leading of the development of an internal leadership programme. RM explained the specification in respect of this was being finalised prior to a procurement exercise.
12. Matters arising
- 12.1 SF updated on plans for the NHSCFA staff conference. Action point 64: SF to update Board as plans for staff conference progress.
- 12.2 It was agreed that SF/AS would draft a programme for the Board Strategy Day and circulate for comment. Action point 65: AS to circulate draft programme for the Board Strategy Day.
- 12.3 AS noted that she would be identifying venues for future Board meetings and ensure that Citygate is included. Action point 66: AS to confirm venues for Board meetings.
- 12.4 RH presented a paper on Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA). The Board noted the contents, agreed the paper was well written and that it had addressed any questions.
- 12.5 The Board reviewed the effectiveness of Board meetings and agreed that papers submitted to the Board had improved and asked that the positive comments be fed back to staff.
13. Date of next meeting
- 13.1 30.10.19, Skipton House, London