NHS Trust
The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust incurred a large deficit in 2005/06. Though a number of weaknesses were already being addressed, the interim FD, Andy Morris, also wanted to review processes by which the Trust prepares its management information and exerts financial control. The Audit Commission’s report in July 2006 on the NHS (‘Learning the lessons from financial failure in the NHS’) had identified this as an area of weakness in the NHS.
Interviewing staff
and making recommendations
FD Solutions was appointed to report on ways in which to improve the processes. Our assignment ran for 16 days. We interviewed people involved in the accounting function, documented current procedures, and set out recommendations for improvement. This included the sales ledger and income, purchase ledger and control accounts.
Andy was aware that this was our first engagement with the NHS and saw it as an advantage.
Ready for further work
We were delighted to assist on this project and are poised to undertake similar work elsewhere in the NHS when required.
