The purpose of the Annual Governance Statement is to provide assurance regarding the Health Board's governance arrangements. Essentially it accounts for the extent to which the Health Board has developed, maintained and conformed with sound systems of internal control that protect the organisation's assets and facilitate achievement of the Health Board's aims to deliver high quality, safe and compassionate care to its population.
The systems and processes must be effective if there is to be a high standard of governance across the Health Board. The statement summarises how assurance is obtained on these systems and processes and lists the key areas where improvement is needed.
The Annual Governance Statement is published as part of the Health Board's Annual Report and Accounts, but because it is not restricted to financial issues, it is produced here as a separate document:
Annual Governance Statement 2016/17
Annual Governance Statement 2018/19
Annual Governance Statement 2019/20