Chief Minister Alf Cannan has again rejected calls for a forensic audit of Manx Care, insisting existing financial controls are sufficient.
Responding to questions from Julie Edge MHK, Mr Cannan said his position remained unchanged from January.
The Chief told Keys that “no further issues have been identified through existing assurance processes that would indicate a need for a forensic financial order at this time”.
Ms Edge had argued that a forensic audit would provide public reassurance, following concerns raised by the medical staff committee and ongoing pressures on bed availability.
She suggested the review could run alongside an ongoing governance review, saying “a forensic audit would give a good indication of what the structure should be for our population, and also the baseline costs”.
Detailed
However, Mr Cannan pushed back, defining a forensic audit as “a detailed investigative review aimed at identifying issues such as fraud,” adding he was not aware “of any such goings on”.
He outlined a range of audits already undertaken across the organisation, including in mental health services, patient transfers and pharmacy, and questioned the value of a broader investigation.
“I’m not convinced that a forensic audit without a very, very specific targeted area would be of benefit,” Mr Cannan said, adding that the associated time and costs would need to be based on “substantial evidence”.