The University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust requires a comprehensive and efficient External Audit Service which will assist the Trust in meeting its roles and responsibilities, whilst maintaining the necessary level of professional independence.

The primary requirement is the provision of an audit service that fulfils all of the requirements of the Audit Code for NHS Foundation Trusts (“the Code”), published by Monitor, the Independent Regulator of Foundation Trusts and effective from 1.4.2011 (http://www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/home/our-publications/browse-category/guidance-foundation-trusts/mandatory-guidance/audit-code-nhs-f). The Code prescribes how auditors of Foundation Trusts should carry out their work.

The auditors’ primary responsibility is to the NHS Foundation Trust’s board of governors. Auditors may also be responsible to Monitor for the exercise of some functions, as set out in paragraph 2.17, of the above code and will have responsibilities to the members of the NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the wider public, in the case of public interest reports.

Please note:

i) The auditor must satisfy the criteria for appointment as an auditor of an NHS foundation trust, as set out in paragraph 23(4) of Schedule 7 of the National Health Service Act 2006;

ii) The auditor must have an established and demonstrable external audit standing within the UK healthcare sector and be able to show a high level of experience and expertise. The work is of a specialised nature, and so general audit experience is not sufficient.

This will be a three year contract with the option of two 12-month extensions.