Meeting held via video conference at 11:15am on 4 July 2024
Present:
Sue Douthwaite,Chair
Michael Brodie, Chief Executive
Kathy Gillatt, Non-Executive Director
Randeep Sidhu, Non-Executive Director
Mathew McKie, Non-Executive Director
Mel Tomlin, Non-Executive Director
Brendan Brown, Chief Operating Officer (Items 24/93 to 24/111 only)
Mark Dibble, Executive Director of People and Corporate Services
Andy McKinlay, Executive Director of Finance, Commercial and Estates (Items 24/93 to 24/111 only)
Allison Newell, Executive Director of Strategy, Performance, Business Development and Growth (Items 24/93 to 24/111 only)
In Attendance:
Nigel Zaman, Senior Programme Manager, Department of Health and Social Care, DHSC (Items 24/93 to 24/111 only)
David Jukes, Head of Governance and Corporate Secretary (Secretary to the Board), NHSBSA
Michael Costello, Head of Strategic Finance, NHSBSA (Items 24/93 to 24/101 only)
John Douglas, NHS Pension Scheme Finance Manager, NHSBSA (Items 24/93 to 24/101 only)
Will McWilliams, Managing Partner, Grant Thornton (Item 24/104 only)
Jane Miller, Head of Colleague Experience and Social Impact, NHSBSA (Item 24/105 only)
Sean Murphy, Head of Commercial Services, NHSBSA (Items 24/106 and 24/107 only)
Jayne Ogle, Environment and Sustainability Lead, NHSBSA (Item 24/105 only)
Ashleigh Peel-Lowes, Head of Strategy, Planning and Performance, NHSBSA (Item 24/102 only)
Chris Price, Future NHS Workforce Solution Transformation Programme Director, NHSBSA (Item 24/104 only)
Lokesh Shrivastav, Boardroom Apprentice (Observer)
David Walton, Head of Financial Accounting and Reporting, NHSBSA (Items 24/93 to 24/101 only)
Stephen Wright, Head of Internal Audit, GIAA (Items 24/93 and 24/99 only)
24/93 Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest
Apologies were received from Darren Curry and David Leather. There were no declarations of interest declared in relation to the Board meeting agenda. M McKie informed the Board that he had a new role as Head of Data and AI at Assystem Energy and Infrastructure Limited (Assystem), which had started on 24 June 2024, and that he had added this to the NHSBSA Declarations of Interest Register in ESR.
24/94 Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 June 2024
The minutes of the previous meetings were AGREED as an accurate record.
24/95 Matters Arising and Outstanding Actions from Previous Meetings
The Board discussed outstanding actions. All actions were complete or not yet due.
The Board NOTED completed actions.
24/96 Chair's Opening Remarks
S. Douthwaite welcomed members and acknowledged the work of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and Remuneration and Nominations Committee over the previous couple of days.
The Board NOTED the update.
24/97 Confirmed minutes from the Audit and Risk Management Committee meeting held on 6 June 2024
The Board NOTED the minutes.
24/98 Update from the Audit and Risk Management Committee Meeting held on 3 July 2024 – Alert, Advise, Assurance (AAA) Report
K Gillatt gave an update on the work of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
The Board NOTED the update.
24/99 Head of Internal Audit Update – Annual Opinion 2023/24
S. Wright presented the report, highlighting key points and themes. S. Wright stated that his overall opinion was that he could give Moderate assurance that the NHSBSA had adequate and effective systems of control, governance, and risk management in place for the whole of the reporting year 2023/24.
The Board thanked S. Wright for his approach to working with the NHSBSA during 2023/24 and into 2024/25.
The Board NOTED the report and ACKNOWLEDGED receipt of the Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Opinion 2023/24.
(Stephen Wright left the meeting).
24/100 NHSBSA Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24
The Board ACKNOWLEDGED receipt of the draft Audit Completion Report, Audit Certificate and Letter of Representation. The Board RECEIVED and discussed the draft report and accounts and, with the recommendation from the Audit and Risk Management Committee, APPROVED and ADOPTED the NHSBSA Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24.
24/101 NHS Pension Scheme Accounts 2023/24
The Board ACKNOWLEDGED receipt of the Audit Completion Report, Audit Certificate and Letter of Representation. The Board RECEIVED and discussed the draft report and accounts and, with the recommendation from the Audit and Risk Management Committee, APPROVED and ADOPTED the NHS Pension Scheme Accounts 2023/24.
(Michael Costello, John Douglas and David Walton left the meeting).
(Ashleigh Peel-Lowes joined the meeting)
24/102 NHSBSA Business Plan 2024/25
A. Newell presented the item, and thanked Leadership Team members, Board members and colleagues across the business for their input and collaborative working in producing the Business Plan.
The Board wished to thank colleagues involved in the production of the NHSBSA Business Plan 2024/25. The Board APPROVED the Business Plan 2024/25.
(Ashleigh Peel-Lowes left the meeting)
24/103 DDaT Update
M. Brodie highlighted key points from the report.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Chris Price and Will McWilliams joined the meeting)
24/104 Future Workforce Solution Transformation Programme Status Update
A. McKinlay introduced the item. C. Price and W. McWilliams provided an overview of the paper.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Chris Price and Will McWilliams left the meeting)
(Jane Miller and Jayne Ogle joined the meeting)
24/105 Environment and Sustainability Annual Report 2023/24
J. Miller introduced the agenda item and provided an overview of the Environment and Sustainability Team, and the background to the Report.
J. Ogle provided an overview of environment performance in 2023/24, including progress against internal targets and mandated Greening Government Targets (GGC).
The Board NOTED the report and ENDORSED the Environment and Sustainability Annual Report 2023/24.
The Board wished to thank all colleagues involved in the ongoing progress being made in achieving the NHSBSA’s environment and sustainability targets.
(Jane Miller and Jayne Ogle left the meeting)
(Sean Murphy joined the meeting)
24/106 Compendia Pensions Administration Software
The Board APPROVED the heads of terms regarding the required changes to the contract.
24/107 Prescription, Card and Print Contract Variation – Ratification
The Board RATIFIED APPROVAL of the retrospective change with the supplier, Xerox UK Ltd, for the maximum potential 6-year term commencing 1 July 2024 with a value up to £9.16m, and the granted delegated authority to the Chief Executive Officer for executing the Change Authorisation Note within time to meet the go live date of 1 July 2024.
(Sean Murphy left the meeting)
24/108 Any Other Business
D. Jukes reminded the Board that, following laying of the NHSBSA Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24, an Annual Public Meeting would be required to be held within 30 days. Members would be contacted in due course in relation to arrangements.
24/109 Communications from the Meeting
The Board wished to thank all colleagues involved in the production and audit of the NHSBSA Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24 and the NHS Pension Scheme Accounts 2023/24; colleagues involved in the production of the NHSBSA Business Plan 2024/25; and all colleagues for the ongoing progress being made in achieving the NHSBSA environment and sustainability targets.
24/110 Forward Agenda and Training Plan
The Board NOTED the forward agenda and Training Plan.
24/111 Date and Venue of the Next Meeting
The next Board meeting was planned for 17 September 2024 at Stella House, Newcastle.
(Brendan Brown, Andy McKinlay, Allison Newell and Nigel Zaman left the meeting)
24/112 Update from the Remuneration and Nominations Committee Meeting held on 4 July 2024
M. Tomlin gave an oral update on the work of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee – following the meeting held that morning.