Betsi finance chief quits two years after 'deliberate' errors found in health board accounts

Owen Hughes

11 November 2024 at 4:33 pm·2-min read

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)

A health board chief will resign two years after a damning report. Accountancy firm EY (Ernst & Young) wrote a scathing report over financial dealings at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in the 2021-2022 accounts. This included deliberately incorrect entries into their own accounts as well as finding "systematic cultural failings" in the organisation's finance team. It followed the Auditor General identifying “significant errors” within its 2021-22 accounts.

There was no evidence anyone gained personally from the errors. NHS Counter Fraud and North Wales Police started probes into the accounts but the investigations ended with no action. An internal investigation was also launched by the health board.

Sue Hill, executive director of finance, had been on leave of absence since December 2022 - although this includes 12 months due to major surgery and treatment. Now the board has announced she will resign and leave the organisation in December. She will not be receiving a a financial settlement when her employment ends.

With regards to the internal investigation, the matter is now concluded from the health board’s perspective in relation to Sue Hill although it is understood the wider review remains ongoing. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox.

Jason Brannan, deputy director of people services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: "Sue Hill, executive director of finance, has advised the health board of her intention to resign from the organisation and will leave in December 2024. Sue is currently on leave of absence having undergone significant surgery and treatment during the last twelve months and our thoughts are with her as she focuses on her health and continued recovery.”

Ms Hill joined the board in 2019. Immediately prior to joining it, Ms Hill was director of finance at Bridgwater Community Healthcare Foundation Trust and previously worked at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals Trust for four years as deputy director of finance.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar MS said: “I think lots of people in North Wales will be astonished that we are almost two years on from when the scandals broke and this health board went back into special measures and yet no one seems to have been held to account for the failings which have taken place.

“It's not good enough and the Welsh Government is responsible for this given that the health board is in special measures.”

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