NHSCFA Board meeting 23rd November 2017

Meeting Venue: 4th Floor Skipton House

Meeting title: NHSCFA Board meeting

• (SH) Simon Hughes (Interim Chair, NHSCFA) (Chair)
• (SR) Susan Frith (Interim Chief Executive, NHSCFA)
• (DR) David Rawsthorn (Interim Non Executive Director, NHSCFA) *via telecon
• (PM) Patrick McGahon (Interim Director of Finance, NHSCFA)
• (RH) Richard Hampton (Head of Intelligence and Crime Reduction, NHSCFA)
• (RR) Richard Rippin (Head of Operations, NHSCFA)
• (MR) Mark Richardson (Interim Deputy Director, DH Anti Fraud Unit)
• (AS) Ann Sturgess (Corporate Governance Manager and Board Secretary, NHSCFA)

SH welcomed all to the first NHSCFA Board meeting and introductions were made around the table.

A verbal declaration of interest was made by DR to confirm he is currently a Non Executive Director (NED) at North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust.

1. Documents for Board Approval

• 1.1 SF presented the NHSCFA Strategy. The NHSCFA Strategy was accepted and signed off by the Board.
• 1.2 SF presented a summary of the NHSCFA Business Plan. Attention was drawn to the need to align this to the NHSCFA Strategy. Action point 1 - MR to forward final comments from DHAFU on the NHSCFA business plan to allow final version to be released by 1.12.17.

  Subject to the above the NHSCFA Business Plan was accepted and signed off by the Board.

• 1.3 SF presented the NHSCFA Standing Financial Instructions. The NHSCFA Standing Financial Instructions were accepted and signed off by the Board.
• 1.4 SF presented the Matters Reserved to the Board. Matters Reserved to the Board were accepted and signed off by the Board.
• 1.5 SF presented Audit & Risk Committee Terms of Reference. DR highlighted the requirements to be quorate during transition period. The Board agreed that they are satisfied with one interim member until the appointment of additional NEDs. The minor amendments proposed in the draft were agreed. The Audit & Risk Committee Terms of Reference were agreed and signed off by the Board.

2. Board Rules & Responsibilities

• 2.1 SF presented the NHSCFA Standing Orders which were discussed by the Board. The Board agreed that they will review the paper further to ensure it is fully aligned with the Establishment Order. Action point 2 - comments on NHSCFA SO to be provided by the Board. The paper will then be revised and circulated to the Board in early December for agreement.
• 2.2 SF presented the REMCO Terms of Reference which were discussed by the Board. The Board agreed that SH will act as interim Chair of the NHSCFA Remunerations and Nominations Committee until further NEDs have been appointed. Subject to a minor amendment to replace the acronym ‘VSM’ with ‘ESM’ the REMCO Terms of Reference were agreed and signed off by the Board.
• 2.3 SF presented the Caldicott pulicy. The Board agreed that Richard Rippin (RR) will act as deputy Caldicott Guardian until the appointment of the NHSCFA Director of Finance. The Caldicott pulicy was agreed and signed off by the Board.
• 2.4 SF confirmed RH will continue as the NHSCFA Serious Information Risk Owner (SIRO). This was noted by the Board
• 2.5 SF highlighted the need for the NHSCFA to have a Health, Safety, Environment and Wellbeing sponsor at Board level. The Board noted this. It was agreed that SF will act in this capacity.

3. NHSCFA Code of Conduct

• 3.1 AS presented the Standards of business conduct. It was highlighted to the Board Health circular HSG (93) 5 has now been replaced with Managing Conflicts of Interests in the NHS. AS requested that the Board notify her of any declarations of interest which will then be logged accordingly. AS reminded the Board to keep her notified of any future changes. Action point 3 – Board members to provide AS with completed declaration of interest forms.

4. NHSCFA Counter Fraud & Security Management Arrangements

• 4.1 AS confirmed the requirement to have counter fraud and security management provisions as outlined in the NHSCFA standing Financial Instructions. AS confirmed options concerning these will be tabled for discussion at the NHSCFA Leadership Team meeting on 28.11.17, and a paper will be presented at the next Board meeting.

5. NHSCFA Public Meeting requirements

• 5.1 AS outlined the requirement under Statutory Instrument No 958 to huld a public meeting. The Board discussed the requirements and agreed that the first public NHSCFA meeting would be held in London to coincide with a future Board meeting and align as far as possible with the issue of the annual accounts and report.

6. NHSCFA Financial update

• 6.1 PM presented the NHSCFA Financial update. This was accepted by the Board. The Board noted the discussions concerning the financial baseline. PM highlighted that Board meeting dates should be coordinated around budget timelines where appropriate.
• 6.2 The Board noted the NHSCFA ESM pay framework paper.

7. NHSBSA Risk Register Update

• 7.1 SF presented the NHSCFA Risk Register. The Board discussed the Risk Register. The Board agreed that local counter fraud community risks will need to be considered and referenced on the Risk Register. Action point 4 – RR to articulate local counter fraud community risks on the Risk Register including actions to mitigate and report back at the next Board meeting.
• 7.2 The Board discussed the importance of building the relationship between NHSCFA and NHS England in relation to the opportunities the Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA) presents. Specifically with regards as how to ensure this is seen as a positive document which can assist NHS England with information on areas of risk. The Board discussed the risk for NHSCFA of potential reputational damage if the SIA is not positively received by NHS England. Action point 5 – RH to review opportunities to build the relationship with NHS England to ensure the value of the Strategic Intelligence Assessment is understood. RH to articulate the reputational risk to NHSCFA if this is not achieved on the Risk Register.
• 7.3 The Board agreed that it would be useful to be provided with a key summary of the Risk Register at future meetings. Action point 6 - Summary paper on key Risk Register actions to date to be provided at the next Board meeting, AS to coordinate.

8. NHSBSA MRT Update

• 8.1 SF presented the NHSCFA Management Reporting Toul (MRT) and sought views from the Board as to their requirements in terms of NHSCFA organisational updates and asked whether the reports produced MRT would be sufficient. SH agreed that reports from the MRT would be helpful but suggested that an additional summary be produced in future to provide an overview of work being undertaken across the organisation including key outcomes, KPIs and metrics etc. Action point 7 - Summary paper on operational performance to be produced by SF for future Board meetings to support the MRT report.

9. Union recognition

• 9.1 RR presented the Union recognition agreement. This was discussed. The Board and agreed that Unison be recognised as the NHSCFA’s formal union.

10. NHSCFA Board induction requirements

• 10.1 AS presented the proposed outline for a NHSCFA Board induction programme. The Board discussed the requirements The Board requested that fullowing be added to the current proposals; further information regarding an overall introduction to the setup of the NHS as a whule, formal meetings with DHAFU, DH Finance and Ministers, IT requirements. Action point 8 - AS to amend proposals and identify IT requirements for NEDs with DR.
• 10.2 The Board noted that future engagement with DH and Ministers will need to be considered once a permanent Board is in place.

11. List of Pulicy MOU documents

• 11.1 SF confirmed work was ongoing to review and finalise strategy, pulicy and guidance documents and Service level Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding. This will be an action for discussion at the NHSCFA Leadership Team meeting on 28.11.17. A full list of existing documents will be produced for the next Board meeting highlighting those which will require Board approval. Action point 9 – AS to coordinate the production of a list of all strategy, pulicy and guidance documents and Service Level Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding.

12. Any other Business

• 12.1 The date of the next Board meeting will be confirmed