Citizen-focused audit piloted in health and local government

Citation

(2002), "Citizen-focused audit piloted in health and local government", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 15 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2002.06215dab.010

Citizen-focused audit piloted in health and local government

Citizen-focused audit piloted in health and local government

Nine public bodies in England and Wales – including health and local government – are testing a new style of audit that will involve local people. Research carried out by MORI for the Audit Commission revealed strong local interest in how councils and health bodies are audited, allowing citizen input into this, and publicising findings, so that they can be more easily understood. Developing greater user-focus is also a main plank in the commission's strategy.

Recognising that a "one size fits all" approach is unlikely to work, appointed auditors have started work on different initiatives at sites around the country. Lessons learned will be incorporated into audit strategy nationally – making the sites pathfinders rather than pilots. In future, all local audits will have a degree of citizen-focus. Sites will be evaluated externally to assess how this is best applied.

The pathfinder sites are:

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  Birmingham Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC);

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  Lewisham London Borough Council (LBC);

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  Lancashire County Council (CC);

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  Hampshire CC;

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  Kirklees MBC;

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  Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust;

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  Homerton Hospital;

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  New Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT); and

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  Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust.

The areas that auditors must examine are set in law – but local people will help define priorities. Pathfinders will involve people at all stages of the audit process: planning the audit, carrying it out, and how it is reported. Examples of local initiatives include:

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  Condensed, citizen-focused versions of the annual audit letter, published in varying formats at Bro Morgannwg and Hillingdon Hospital Trusts.

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  Running an electronic ballot at Hampshire CC and publicising the district auditor's role in council communications to residents.

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  Working with an education programme in Lewisham LBC, district audit staff will speak to students about what public audit aims to achieve.

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  Helping New Forest PCT to develop its public consultation processes.

Discussions are being held with five other authorities with a view to involving them in the near future.

Sir Andrew Foster, Controller of the Audit Commission, said: "Putting the needs of users at the heart of public service reform is an imperative. The Commission has made a strong commitment to this in its own strategy – it is the right time to make auditors' work more citizen-friendly and this should underpin the work that councils and health bodies are doing to engage with local people."