Agenda
Meeting date: 24.4.19
Meeting time/venue: 11:00 – 13:00 Skipton House
Meeting title: NHSCFA Board Meeting
Members:
- (TT)Tom Taylor (Chairperson NHSCFA)
- (MS) Martin Spencer (Non Executive Director)
- (CS) Professor Carl Stychin (Non Executive Director)
- (JS) Jayne Scott (Non Executive Director)
- (SF) Susan Frith (Interim Chief Executive, NHSCFA)
- (MJB) Matthew Jordan-Boyd (Director of Finance, NHSCFA)
Attendees:
- (RR)Richard Rippin (Head of Operations)
- (RH) Head of Intelligence & Fraud Prevention
- (PG) Paul Golightly (Deputy Director, DH Anti Fraud Unit representative)
- (AS) Ann Sturgess (Corporate Governance Manager and Board Secretary, NHSCFA)
- (FM) Freedom MacKay (Senior Compliance & Complaints Officer NHSCFA) Minute Taker
Observer:
- Davina Teeluck – Staff engagement Group Observer
- Welcome TT
- Apologies TT
- Declarations of interest
- Minutes 6.3.19 TT
- Action log TT
-
General update from the Chair paper 1 TT
- Launch of the Holmes review paper 1b
- General Update from the NEDS JS MS CS
Reports
- Finance reports paper 2 (March report update) paper 3 (Year End interim) MJB
- Operational performance update paper 4 SF
- Operational (investigations) report paper 5 RR
- Risk Register update paper 6 MJB
Committee Updates
- Audit & Risk Committee Update papers 7 & 8 JS
Matters arising
- SIA and CFA Business Plan publication update (verbal) SF
- SIA 2020 format paper 9 RH
- CFA Business plan timeline 2020-21 paper 10 RH
- Annual Report & Accounts update (verbal) MJB
- CFA data security update (verbal) MJB
- CFA staff conference feedback AS
- DHSC/CFA Framework annual review update (verbal) PG
- Scheme of Delegation annual review (verbal) PG
- Electronic signatures (to retain) AS
Matters to note
- Forward Planner paper 11 AS
Date of next meeting: 5.6.19 Coventry NEW OFFICE
Note: Accommodation, travel tickets & car parking must be booked in advance
Minutes
Meeting date: 24 April 2019
Meeting Venue: Skipton House, London
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 (Interim Chief Executive, NHSCFA)
- (MJB) Matthew Jordan Boyd (Director of Finance & Corporate Governance)
Other attendees:
- (PG) Paul Golightly (Director, Department of Health and Social Care Anti Fraud Unit )
- (AS) Ann Sturgess (Corporate Governance Manager and Board Secretary, NHSCFA)
- (FM) Freedom Mackay (Note taker - NHSCFA)
- (DT) Davina Teeluck (Staff Engagement Group - Observer)
Presenting papers:
- (RR) Richard Rippin (Head of Operations NHSCFA)
- (RH) Richard (Hampton Head of Intelligance & Fraud Prevention)
1. Welcome
- 1.1 TT welcomed all to the NHSCFA Board meeting.
2. Apologies
- 2.1 There were no apologies.
3. Declarations of interest
- 3.1 TT confirmed that there were no further declarations of interest.
4. Minutes for approval
- 4.1 The Board accepted the minutes of 6 March 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 confirmed that he felt the staff conference had gone well. TT thanked all involved in organising the conference.
- 6.1.2 TT asked the NEDs and CEO to consider their objectives to set for the next financial year in advance of 1-2-1s. Action point 41: NEDs and CEO to prepare draft objectives for discussion with TT at 1-2-1s
- 6.1.3 TT advised that he had spoken to GLD to progress the Statutory Instrument required to allow access to communications data that had not been transferred to NHSCFA, following autonomy from the NHSBSA.
- 6.1.4 The Board discussed the launch of the Holmes Review and related arrangements in place in the organisation, for example the guaranteed interview scheme.
7 NED updates
- 7.1 CS noted that he had recently handled a stage 2 complaint. CS noted that he had received the required information to support the process and confirmed he had responded within the 15 working day deadline, as per the NHSCFA complaints policy.
- 7.2 MS confirmed that he had recently attended his first Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Board meeting.
8 Finance report
- 8.1 MJB provided an update on the current financial position as at 24 April 2019.
- 8.2 MJB confirmed that a business case had been submitted for additional funds above and beyond a flat cash settlement.
- 8.3 The Board agreed that the March financial position was positive and that in comparison to other ALBs the organisation is in a manageable position. JS remarked that excellent progress had been made.
- 8.4 The Board discussed and agreed the contents of the finance report.
9 Operational (performance) report
- 9.1 SF updated the Board on the operational performance position and presented the the performance report for Quarter 4 2018-19.
- 9.2 The Board recommended a number of improvements to the format of Board papers to ensure that information is presented as effectively as possible. It was agreed that these would be conveyed to the appropriate staff.
10. Operational (investigations) report
- 10.1 RR reported that the FCU had received formal notification that their application for accreditation had been successful. RR noted that accreditation had taken 3 years and that as a result of this hard work NHSCFA now have 2 accredited forensic laboratories. The Board agreed that this was an excellent achievement and asked for thanks to be fed back to staff. Action point 42: RR to feedback thanks to appropriate staff following successful FCU accreditation.
11. Risk Register
- 11.1 MJB outlined the Board Assurance Framework and noted that the Risk Register format has been amended to include only strategic risks. JS noted that the ARC would await the LT’s overview of risks arising from the revised risk management system. JS added that the ARC would continue to review the risk management process.
- 11.2 The Board suggested a number of small amendments in terms of narratives on the Risk Register for purposes of clarity.
Committee Updates
12. Committee updates
- 12.1 JS confirmed that there had been considerable progress since paper 7 had been produced. MJB updated on the Internal Audit review of financial controls and noted that he had a positive meeting with GIAA. MJB noted that following GIAA recommendations he had provided the appropriate evidence. MJB added that he expected a rating of ‘moderate’ in terms of assurance levels.
- 12.2 MJB and JS highlighted that they would be speaking individually with Internal Audit this week. MJB and JS agreed that they would report back to TT if there were any concerns to raise.
- 12.3 MJB noted that he had met with the National Audit Office (NAO) and discussed the ongoing risks around the lack of a dedicated ledger. MJB has been looking at the trial of a general ledger for next year and information has been provided to enable testing.
Matters arising
13. SIA and NHSCFA Business Plan publication update
- 13.1 SF confirmed that there would be a soft launch of the SIA and the Business Plan on the NHSCFA website around early May.
14. Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA) 2020 format
- 14.1 RH confirmed that in response to feedback from the Board, there had been a redesign of the style and content of the annual SIA. RH gave an overview of the options in paper 9. The Board reviewed the paper and agreed the recommended option.
15. NHSCFA Business Plan timeline 2020-21
- 15.1 RH provided a brief summary for the timeline of the preparation of the 2020-21 NHSCFA Business Plan and noted the requirement for early interaction with the Board members.
16. Annual Report and Accounts update
- 16.1 The Board noted the position of the Annual Report and Accounts.
17. NHSCFA data security update
- 17.1 MJB advised that there had been a potential, albeit controlled weakness in relation to the security of internal emails, however the issue had subsequently been resolved and posed no security breach.
18. NHSCFA staff conference feedback
- 18.1 AS conveyed thanks from staff to the Board for their attendance and input to the NHSCFA Staff Conference. AS confirmed that a survey would be undertaken and the findings taken into consideration.
19. DH & SC/NHSCFA Framework annual review update
- 19.1 PG confirmed that the DH & SC/NHSCFA Framework annual review was near conclusion and would be finalised shortly.
20. Scheme of delegation annual review
- 20.1 PG confirmed that it had been agreed that the existing scheme of delegation would be rolled over.
21. Electronic signatures
- 21.1 AS requested that the Board provide electronic signatures to make it easier for any future sign offs. The Board agreed to provide after the meeting. Action point 43: Board to provide electronic signatures to AS.
Matters to note
22. Forward Planner
- 22.1 AS provided an overview of the Forward Planner for 2019-20. It was agreed that the Board would review the planner following each meeting. It was agreed that this process would also be adopted by the ARC.
- 22.2 It was agreed that a revised date for the June Board meeting would need to be agreed. Action point 44: New date for the June Board meeting to be confirmed.
- 22.3 The Board agreed that they were happy with the way Board meetings are progressing.
23. Date of next meeting
- 23.1 Date to be confirmed, meeting to be held in new Coventry office (Earlsdon Park).