Agenda and supporting papers - Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Item 18, Annex 1
assessments. Mr Budge explained the process by which issues of
concern arising from external assessments were elevated, via the
Assurance Framework, to the Trust Board.
There were no questions and the Committee noted the report.
53/13 Safety and Quality Committee
Minutes of the April 2013
D
meeting were noted by the Committee.
54/13 Finance, Performance & Investment Committee
Minutes of the April 2013 meeting and minutes of the ‘commercial-inconfidence’
section of the April 2013 meeting were noted by the
Committee.
R
55/13 Human Resources & Organisational Development Committee
Minutes of the April 2013 meeting were noted by the Committee.
56/13 Audit Chair’s Report
A
to the Board
It was agreed that this would cover:
• CQC Outcome 21 review.
• Bevan Brittan risk update.
F
• Approval of the accounts and associated documentation review
and recommendations to the Board.
57/13 Review and Learning
As agreed at the May meeting, this item featured a discussion to
extract learning from
T
a topical issue and on this occasion it was the
Committee’s relationship with Internal Audit. Prior to the meeting
there had been a Board session to agree Internal Audit’s work plan for
2013/14. The Committee reflected on the following questions:
• Does the Audit Committee understand its relationship with
Internal Audit?
• How are we assured that reports are thorough?
• Is the Audit Committee sufficiently proactive?
• Could we use what they tell us more efficiently?
• How can we improve triangulation?
The Committee agreed that its understanding of its relationship with
Internal Audit had improved as a result of the pre-meeting session and
particularly through questioning during the meeting. The Committee
gained assurance on thoroughness through challenge and audit
scope and agreed that there was a requirement for significant
management attention at the start of the process. It would be helpful
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