Our finances
Annual accounts
Financial reports
Finance reports are brought to Trust Board meetings throughout the year. The finance reports show the Trust’s summary financial position at that time, forecasts and directorate budgetary positions.
Financial governance
- Partnership Agreement between Department of Health and Northern Trust – 4 January 2024
- Standing Financial Instructions March 2022
- Standing Orders And Scheme Of Reservation And Delegation
National Fraud Initiative
The Northern Trust is required to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
The Comptroller and Auditor General audits the accounts of this Non Departmental Public Body. The Comptroller and Auditor General is also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises under his powers in Articles 4A to 4G of the Audit and Accountability (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.
Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that there is an inconsistency that requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.
The Comptroller and Auditor General currently requires us to participate in a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Comptroller and Auditor General for matching. Details are set out in the National Ireland Audit Office website.
The use of data by the Comptroller and Auditor General in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Data matching by the Audit Commission is subject to a Code of Practice. This can be found on the NI Audit Office website.
For further information on the Comptroller and Auditor General’s legal powers and the reasons why he matches particular information, read Level 3 notice also on the Audit office website.
For further information on data matching in this Trust contact the Information Governance Department.
