Health boss quits after ‘deliberate’ accounts errors

A health board executive member will resign after “deliberate” incorrect accounting was found in her department two years ago.

Sue Hill, executive director of finance at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), has been on leave of absence since December 2022 after specialist investigators were called in to look at accounts.

The health board said she will not receive a financial settlement when she leaves in December.

Other staff members at the health board remain under investigation.

Ms Hill’s absence, which includes 12 months due to illness, began when investigations started after auditors found “significant errors” in the health board’s accounts.

External accountants EY were called to investigate further and found what they described as “systemic cultural failings” in the finance team where staff were said to have made “deliberate” incorrect entries into accounts.

EY’s report in January 2023 alleged Ms Hill and other members of the finance team had told investigators they were “not aware” of entries posted to the wrong financial year.

However, the report claimed this was “inconsistent” with documentary evidence.

There was no evidence anyone gained personally from the errors.

Further NHS Counter Fraud and North Wales Police investigations ended with no action.

BCUHB then started an internal investigation in May 2023 which they say is now “concluded” in relation to Sue Hill.

Jason Brannan, deputy director of people services at the health board, said: “Sue Hill has advised the health board of her intention to resign and will leave in December 2024.

“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 told the health board in September 2024 she was resigning.

Llŷr Gruffydd, a Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS), said it was “flabbergasting” that Ms Hill was still in her post two years on.

“It shouldn’t have been the case,” he said. “The health board should have acted more promptly.

“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.”

Commenting on the ongoing investigation Conservative MS Darren Millar said the health board and the Welsh government should have acted more quickly.

“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,” he said.

“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 placed back under special measures, the highest level of supervision by the Welsh government two months after Ms Hill’s leave of absence began.

The health board told BBC Wales neither it nor Ms Hill wished to comment further and did not want to respond to Mr Gruffydd and Mr Millar’s statements.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “This is an employment matter and therefore a matter for the health board.”