Feature / Technical round-up

HRG4+ – internal audit – 2012/13 accounts – standard contract

• HRG4+ will be used to cost clinical activity for 2012/13. The National Casemix Office said Monitor, the NHS Commissioning Board and the Department of Health had approved the use of the latest iteration of HRG4 in the 2012/13 reference costs collection. The office said HRG4+ would allow specialised services – provided in tertiary centres and centres of excellence – to be separately identified and appropriately costed and funded.

   

• New public sector internal audit standards (PSIAS) will be implemented in the NHS from?1 April. The Department of Health said the PSIAS, based on the Institute of Internal Auditors international professional practices framework, would replace the NHS internal audit standards. A letter from NHS chief financial controller Janet Perry said the update would improve internal audit professionalism, quality, consistency and effectiveness.

   

• The Department of Health has published FAQs for NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities on accounting policies and disclosures for the 2012/13 accounts. The three documents, available from the online finance manual, cover accounting policies and associated disclosures on PCT/SHA closure; pay multiples disclosure clarification; and exit packages disclosure.

   

• The NHS Commissioning Board has published the 2013/14 NHS standard contract. It said the contract enabled ‘safe, innovative and transformation’ commissioning and would support commissioners and providers in delivering the QIPP challenge. It includes a simplified payments clause and CQUIN (commissioning for quality and innovation) process and is being issued as an e-contract. Several supporting documents are also available.

   

• The Department of Health, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority have jointly issued changes to the quality accounts reporting process for 2012/13. A letter sets out the changes, including core quality indicators that should be included.

   

• The Department of Health has issued a letter on the requirements for the completion and submission of 2012/13 governance statements for strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts. It said following the guidance would ensure compliance with Treasury guidance and allow the NHS chief executive to draw the assurance he needs to sign an overarching governance statement.

   

• Strategic health authorities and commissioners will be able to access CQUIN data. The Department of Health said the information, available from SHA CQUIN leads, would allow the bodies to assess whether performance met locally agreed thresholds for 2012/13.

   

• Northern Ireland’s Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published final indices for use in the 2012/13 accounts. A circular outlining the indices supersedes one issued in September 2012, which provided forecast indices.