FPOL16 Stocktaking by Provide Community

Stocktaking

Version: V6

Ratified by: Finance & Investment Committee

Date ratified: 03/04/2024

Job Title of author: Director of Finance

Reviewed by Committee or Expert Group Finance & Investment Committee

Equality Impact Assessed by: Director of Finance

1. Introduction

Stock is the general name given to describe consumable goods or materials which are bought by the Group and then held ready for usage. Non-“inventory” items are charged to the income and expenditure account when they are received by the Group. Stock Inventories items are only charged to the income and expenditure account when they are used.

Because the administration involved would outweigh and benefit, the Group does not treat miscellaneous holdings of goods and materials as “stock inventories” for accounting purposes. Therefore, local stationery stores, local holdings of consumable minor clinical supplies etc. are not treated as “stock inventories” for accounting purposes. As a rule of thumb, the Group does not record as “stock inventories”, any holdings with a value less than £5,000.

It is the budget holder’s responsibility to ensure that all goods and materials are held in a secure place prior to usage and that they are used efficiently and effectively.

2. Definitions

Fraud is where any person who dishonestly makes a false representation to make a gain for himself or another or dishonestly fails to disclose to another person, information which he is under a legal duty to disclose, or commits fraud by abuse of position, including any offence as defined in the Fraud Act 2006.

Bribery is the giving or receiving a financial or other advantage in connection with the ‘improper performance’ of trust or a function that is expected to be performed impartially or in good faith. Where the Provide Group is engaged in commercial activity it could be considered guilty of a corporate bribery offence if an employee, agent, subsidiary or any other person acting on its behalf bribes another person intending to obtain or retain business or an advantage in the conduct of business for the Provide Group and it cannot demonstrate that it has adequate procedures in place to prevent such. The adequate procedures that the Provide Group is required to have in place to prevent bribery being committed on their behalf are performed by six principles – proportionate procedures, toplevel commitment, risk assessment, communication (including training), monitoring and review. The Provide Group does not tolerate any bribery on its behalf, even if this might result in a loss of business for it. Criminal liability must be prevented at all times.

3. Counter Fraud

If any member of staff has good reason to suspect a colleague, patient or other person of fraud, bribery and / or corruption, involving the Provide Group, they should report their genuine concerns to the LCFS or Chief Finance Officer immediately. The LCFS will then decide on the next course of action and advise the member of staff accordingly. All calls are dealt with in the strictest of confidence and callers may remain anonymous.

Suspicions of fraud, bribery or corruption should be reported to the Local Counter Fraud Specialists on 01473 945843, Provide Group Chief Finance Officer or NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line via an online reporting form: http://www.reportnhsfraud.nhs.uk/ or telephone 0800 028 4060. Further details including email addresses for those responsible can be found on the Provide Intranet.

Individuals suspected of committing an offence of fraud, bribery or corruption may be subject to criminal and/or disciplinary investigation, which could result in criminal and/or disciplinary action being taken, including prosecution and/or dismissal. For more information, please refer to the Local Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy or to the Provide Counter Fraud intranet page https://www.providecommunityplatform.co.uk/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id =2254&SearchId=530713.

4. In Year Processes

Budget holders should hold formal stock records. These records should record and date and value of purchases – which should be verified in terms or quantity and value and then retained in a secure location until required. The value of Stock inventories should normally include VAT. The Finance Team can provide advice on particular issues.

Issues from stock inventories should be recorded at the time that they are withdrawn from the stock inventories. The information to be included on the stock inventories account should include the date of issue, quantity and value of the goods. Group stock inventories are accounted for at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Recipients of the stock inventories should sign the stock inventories issue records to confirm receipt.

The stock inventories should be reviewed periodically and at least every six months, for existence, condition and fitness for purposes. The value and quantity of the stock inventories should be reconciled to the stock inventories records and the stock take should be formally documented.

Any stock inventories which are identified as missing or obsolescent e.g. due to damage or age, should be reported to the Chief Finance Officer. The matter will be reported to the Audit Committee under the arrangements for reporting losses. The Budget Holder will be advised of the accounting procedure to follow to realign the value in the accounts with the physical value.

5. Year End Processes

Guidance is issued annually to budget holders on year end procedures as the end of the financial year approaches.

All locations holding formal “Stock Inventories” of supplies/equipment should carry out a Year End Stock Take. This should commence no sooner than the middle of March, and be completed by 31st March.

For the purposes of year end, stock inventories should normally be recorded on the year end stock inventories sheets provided by the Finance Team and returned by the specified deadline.

Where possible staff not normally involved in the control of such stock inventories should carry out the stock take.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

TEMPLATE: Stage 1: ‘Screening’

Name of project/policy/strategy (hereafter referred to as “initiative”):

Stocktaking

Provide a brief summary (bullet points) of the aims of the initiative and main activities: Provide guidance on how to carry out and record a stocktake.

Project/Policy Manager: Director of Finance

Date: March 2024

This stage establishes whether a proposed initiative will have an impact from an equality perspective on any particular group of people or community – i.e. on the grounds of race (incl. religion/faith), gender (incl. sexual orientation), age, disability, or whether it is “equality neutral” (i.e. have no effect either positive or negative). In the case of gender, consider whether men and women are affected differently.

Q1. Who will benefit from this initiative? Is there likely to be a positive impact on specific groups/communities (whether or not they are the intended beneficiaries), and if so, how? Or is it clear at this stage that it will be equality “neutral”? i.e. will have no particular effect on any group.

Neutral

Q2. Is there likely to be an adverse impact on one or more minority/under-represented or community groups as a result of this initiative? If so, who may be affected and why? Or is it clear at this stage that it will be equality “neutral”?

Neutral

Q3. Is the impact of the initiative – whether positive or negative - significant enough to warrant a more detailed assessment (Stage 2 – see guidance)? If not, will there be monitoring and review to assess the impact over a period time? Briefly (bullet points) give reasons for your answer and any steps you are taking to address particular issues, including any consultation with staff or external groups/agencies.

Guidelines: Things to consider

Equality impact assessments at Provide take account of relevant equality legislation and include age, (i.e. young and old,); race and ethnicity, gender, disability, religion and faith, and sexual orientation.

The initiative may have a positive, negative or neutral impact, i.e. have no particular effect on the group/community.

Where a negative (i.e. adverse) impact is identified, it may be appropriate to make a more detailed EIA (see Stage 2), or, as important, take early action to redress this – e.g. by abandoning or modifying the initiative. NB: If the initiative contravenes equality legislation, it must be abandoned or modified.

Where an initiative has a positive impact on groups/community relations, the EIA should make this explicit, to enable the outcomes to be monitored over its lifespan.

Where there is a positive impact on particular groups does this mean there could be an adverse impact on others, and if so can this be justified? - e.g. are there other existing or planned initiatives which redress this?

It may not be possible to provide detailed answers to some of these questions at the start of the initiative. The EIA may identify a lack of relevant data, and that data-gathering is a specific action required to inform the initiative as it develops, and also to form part of a continuing evaluation and review process.

It is envisaged that it will be relatively rare for full impact assessments to be carried out at Provide. Usually, where there are particular problems identified in the screening stage, it is envisaged that the approach will be amended at this stage, and/or setting up a monitoring/evaluation system to review a policy’s impact over time.