On the back of the first prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter Act, formal processes to ensure NHS Trust Boards are meeting legal and regulatory standards is more important than ever.

Concerns aired by the Foundation Trust regulator, Monitor, about how Boards were working at some applicant Trusts, high profile failures at a few NHS hospitals, and inconsistencies between what Trusts tell regulators and what inspectors find, resulted in a study being undertaken by The Audit Commission - ‘Taking it on trust.’ The study includes:-

• An overview of how the Boards of NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts in England assure themselves that internal controls are in place and operating effectively.
• A review of the relevant literature and guidance on governance structure and processes.
• A detailed examination of the key processes, controls and assurances at 15 Acute and Mental Health Trusts.
• Interviews with individuals and organisations with an interest and experience in the area.

Have a look at the Audit Commission’s website to download the following:-

• The full report
• The summary report
• A presentation, looking at why the study was carried out, its findings and what this means for Trusts
• A downloadable checklist of questions for board members
• Additional case studies
• The ‘Figures You Can Trust’ data quality briefing

What do you think about how Boards are regulated?