Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Thirty-First Report - Department of Health and Social Care 2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts
Public Accounts Committee
HC 459
Published 10 May 2024
Recommendations
13
Accepted in Part
DHSC published 2022-23 accounts six months after deadline, missing pre-summer recess target.
Recommendation
All Departments should aim to lay their accounts and those of their agencies by an administrative deadline of 30 June after the end of the financial year, and no later than the 15 Q 72 16 Qq 50–51 17 Q …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and is implementing a multi-year plan to gradually bring forward the publication of accounts, targeting a return to pre-summer recess laying for the 2026-27 financial year, acknowledging significant external challenges.
HM Treasury
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Conclusions (2)
19
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
We challenged NHS England and the Department on the extent they were acting on the proposals to improve audit timeliness set out in their 2022–23 governance statements. NHS England stated that it had regular update meetings with all audit firms, as well as working with the Department and cross-government groups …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's findings and is implementing a multi-year plan to gradually improve audit timeliness, targeting a return to pre-summer recess laying for the 2026-27 financial year, while acknowledging external challenges in the local audit system.
31
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
We asked NHS England whether it was pursuing recovery of the overpaid amounts identified in 2022–23. NHS England told us that it was still seeking to recover more of the overpayments, but that it did not think that it would recover all the money paid. It reported that it needed …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to pursue recovery of overpaid amounts where legal grounds exist and work is underway, with NHS England retaining oversight of progress, targeting completion by September 2024.