The Christie NHS FT Annual Report & Accounts 2019-20

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2019-20

mandatory training programme, we ask staff to complete anti-fraud awareness training.

the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts. External audit services Grant Thornton LLP was appointed as our external auditor on 1 st October 2017 for a period of three years. We incurred £55k, (£87k for the group) in audit service fees in relation to the statutory audit of our accounts for the period ending 31 st March 2020. Non-audit services provided by the auditor Our external auditor provides non-audit services in limited circumstances in accordance with a policy recommended by the audit committee and approved by the council of governors. Auditor objectivity and independence are safeguarded for any non-audit services provided by the auditor by limiting the fees arising from such work in any one year to £50k + VAT and ensuring that different auditors carry out the work. Grant Thornton LLP did not provide additional services relating to any non-audit related services during 2019-20. Countering fraud and corruption The Board of Directors attaches significant importance to the issue of fraud and corruption and has continued its increased investment during the year. Reported concerns have been investigated by our local counter fraud specialists in liaison with the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service and the police as necessary. We work hard to maintain an anti-fraud culture and have a range of policies and procedures to minimise risk in this area. A number of events were held over the year to highlight how staff can raise concerns and suspicions. As part of our

Statutory framework This is the thirteenth set of annual financial results prepared since we became a foundation trust on 1 st April 2007. Consistent with our statutory status, these accounts have been prepared under a direction issued by the independent regulator NHS Improvement. In undertaking NHS business transactions, the Trust has complied with the cost allocation and charging requirement set out in HM Treasury and Office of Public Sector Information Guidance. Statement of disclosure to auditors In accordance with the requirements of the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, the Trust confirms that for each individual who was a director at the time that the director’s report was approved, that: • so far as each of the Trust directors is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Trust’s auditor is unaware; and each director has taken all steps that they ought to have taken as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Trust’s auditor is aware of that information. • information needed by the Trust’s auditor in connection with preparing their report; and that each director has made such enquiries of his/her fellow directors and taken such other steps (if any) for that purpose, as are required by his/her duty as a director of the Trust to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence. • For the purposes of this declaration: • relevant audit information means

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