Audit Committee Conference

30 September 2009

Venue: Leeds Marriott Hotel

Speaker:

Overview:

The NHS continues to face a hugely challenging agenda over the coming years in order to modernise and extend its services to meet the public and patients’ expectations. Strong leadership and good governance are essential to the success of every NHS organisation across the local health economy. Boards that have confidence in their governance arrangements will have the assurance to challenge established practice where necessary and embrace change. This one-day event will provide, through a balance of plenary sessions and discussion, practical guidance on the tasks and issues that the Audit Committee will need to deal with. Cancellation Date: 9th September 2009

Agenda:

• 30/09/2009
  • 9:45 AM

    • Registration, Coffee and Exhibition

  • 10:10 AM

    • Chairman's Introduction and Welcome

      Graham Shead, Chief Internal Auditor, Audit North West

  • 10:15 AM

    • Audit Committee Update

      Latest assurance issues for Audit Committees
      Tim Crowley, Director, Mersey Internal Audit Agency
      

  • 10:45 AM

    • Taking it on Trust - a review of how boards of Trusts and FTs gain their assurance

      The reasons for undertaking the review, key findings and actions for Boards and Audit Committees.
      Mark Fletcher, Regional Director Northern Region, Audit Commission
      

  • 11:20 AM

    • Coffee and Exhibition

  • 11:50 AM

    • Update on External Audit Issues for the Audit Committee

      Tim Cutler, KPMG

  • 12:25 PM

    • Clinical Quality and Audit Committee Assurance

      Dr Katherine Birch, Associate MIAA and Senior Lecturer & Medici Fellow Keele University
      

  • 1:00 PM

    • Lunch and Exhibition

  • 2:00 PM

    • Facilitated Discussion - Session 1A

      Audit Committee Challenges: Sharing best practice
      
      Tim Crowley and Steve Connor will facilitate a session exploring best practice. Areas to be debated to be led by delegates but are likely to include:
      • Taking the Assurance Framework forward
      • Provider arm Audit Committee operation
      • Refocusing in a downturn
      • Relationship of the Audit Committee to the Board and other committees
      • Managing the agenda
      

    • Facilitated Discussion Session - 1B

      Clinical quality, patient safety and patient user/experience: where does the Audit Committee fit?
      Katherine Birch will lead a discussion to explore how the themes she has raised in the morning session can be practically handled by Audit Committees.
      

    • Facilitated Discussion Session - 1C

      External Audit Issues
      Tim Cutler will facilitate discussion on the latest external audit issues.
      • Understanding challenges to organisations in the downturn (re-forecasting future plans, going concern, turnaround processes).
      • Strengthening and getting the right assurance from the internal audit function.
      • Quality accounts and the Audit Committee role.
      • IFRS conversion. Getting ‘early close’ whilst business as usual.
      • Whether the finance function is the right shape and skills for challenges ahead.
      
      

  • 3:00 PM

    • Facilitated Discussion - Session 2A

      Audit Committee Challenges: Sharing best practice
      Tim Crowley and Steve Connor will facilitate a session exploring best practice. Areas to be debated to be led by delegates but are likely to include:
      • Taking the Assurance Framework forward
      • Provider arm Audit Committee operation
      • Refocusing in a downturn
      • Relationship of the Audit Committee to the Board and other committees
      • Managing the agenda
      

    • Facilitated Discussion Session - 2B

      Clinical quality, patient safety and patient user/experience: where does the Audit Committee fit?
      Katherine Birch will lead a discussion to explore how the themes she has raised in the morning session can be practically handled by Audit Committees.
      

    • Facilitated Discussion Session - 2C

      External Audit Issues
      Tim Cutler will facilitate discussion on the latest external audit issues.
      • Understanding challenges to organisations in the downturn (re-forecasting future plans, going concern, turnaround processes).
      • Strengthening and getting the right assurance from the internal audit function.
      • Quality accounts and the Audit Committee role.
      • IFRS conversion.
      . Getting ‘early close’ whilst business as usual.
      • Whether the finance function is the right shape and skills for challenges ahead.
      
      
      

  • 4:00 PM

    • Close

Rates:

Standard Online Rate:	£165.00
Partner Online Rate:	£95.00