Health Executive to Resign Following Discovery of ‘Deliberate’ Accounting Irregularities

An executive within a health board is set to resign in the wake of “deliberate” accounting inaccuracies identified within her department two years prior. Sue Hill, who serves as the executive director of finance for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), has been on a leave of absence since December 2022, a period that commenced after specialist investigators were engaged to examine financial records. The health board has stated that she will not be granted a financial settlement upon her departure in December. Investigations are continuing concerning other personnel employed by the health board. Ms Hill’s period of absence, encompassing 12 months attributed to illness, commenced concurrently with the initiation of investigations, which followed auditors’ discovery of “significant errors” within the health board’s financial statements. External accounting firm EY was subsequently engaged to conduct a more thorough inquiry, uncovering what they characterized as “systemic cultural failings” within the finance team, where employees were reported to have made “deliberate” erroneous entries into the accounts. A report issued by EY in January 2023 indicated that Ms Hill and other finance team members had informed investigators they were “not aware” of entries that had been allocated to the incorrect financial year. Nevertheless, the report asserted that this claim was “inconsistent” with available documentary evidence. No evidence emerged suggesting that any individual personally benefited from these inaccuracies. Subsequent investigations conducted by NHS Counter Fraud and North Wales Police concluded without any further action being taken. BCUHB initiated an internal investigation in May 2023, which the board states is now “concluded” concerning Sue Hill. Jason Brannan, the deputy director of people services at the health board, stated: “Sue Hill has advised the health board of her intention to resign and will leave in December 2024.” He added: “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 informed the health board of her resignation in September 2024. Llŷr Gruffydd, a Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS), expressed that it was “flabbergasting” that Ms Hill remained in her position two years later. He commented: “It shouldn’t have been the case. The health board should have acted more promptly.” He further asserted: “And the Welsh government’s fingerprints are on this because the health board has been in special measures. The Welsh government’s hand was on the tiller and they should have made sure that this had been dealt with much more effectively and much more swiftly.” In his remarks regarding the continuing investigation, Conservative MS Darren Millar stated that both the health board and the Welsh government ought to have responded with greater speed. He remarked: “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.” The health board was reinstated into special measures, representing the highest tier of oversight by the Welsh government, two months subsequent to the commencement of Ms Hill’s leave of absence. The health board informed BBC Wales that neither it nor Ms Hill desired to provide further comment and chose not to address the statements made by Mr Gruffydd and Mr Millar. A spokesperson for the Welsh government commented: “This is an employment matter and therefore a matter for the health board.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.