2.6 Internal governance arrangements
At 30 June 2007, the executive management of the National Blood Authority comprised the following staff:
- General Manager, Dr Alison Turner
- General Counsel, Mr Michael Stone
- Deputy General Manager, Corporate and Risk Management, Ms Stephanie Gunn
- Deputy General Manager, Fresh Blood Supply, Mr Gordon Lee Koo
- Deputy General Manager, Contract Management and Supply Planning, Mr Leigh McJames.
The National Blood Authority's organisational structure is set out in Figure 3.
Dr Alison Turner, General Manager
Dr
Alison Turner was appointed General Manager and Chief Executive
Officer of the National Blood Authority in August 2003. From 1997
to 2003 she was Chief Executive Officer of the Australian
Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. She previously held
a number of senior government executive positions in the health and
primary industries' sectors and has represented Australia
internationally in many forums.
Dr Turner has postgraduate research qualifications in medical pharmacology from Sydney University and holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from Melbourne University.
Mr Michael Stone, General Counsel
Mr Michael
Stone is the National Blood Authority's General Counsel. He has
extensive experience in providing legal advice and services for a
wide range of Australian Government agencies, in the fields of
commercial and public law, agency governance and accountability,
and the development and implementation of legislation and
administrative schemes.
Mr Stone practised for eight years with the Australian Government Solicitor, including as an outposted in-house lawyer for a number of clients. He joined the Legal Services Branch of the Department of Health and Ageing to work on a range of significant 'blood' matters, including the development of the National Blood Agreement and the establishment of the National Blood Authority.
Mr Stone has worked with the National Blood Authority since its inception in 2003.
Ms Stephanie Gunn, Deputy General Manager, Corporate and Risk Management
Ms
Stephanie Gunn is the National Blood Authority's Corporate and
Risk Manager. She has qualifications in economics and extensive
experience in program and project management in the analysis of
regional and industry development.
Ms Gunn joined the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in 1996, working in the Minister's office, and then moved to senior management roles in Ageing and Community Care and Corporate Management, focusing on corporate governance, procurement and planning.
Ms Gunn joined the National Blood Authority in November 2003.
Mr Gordon Lee Koo, Deputy General Manager, Fresh Blood Supply
Mr Gordon
Lee Koo is the National Blood Authority's relationship manager
for the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. He has qualifications
in public sector management and business administration.
Immediately prior to his appointment to the National Blood
Authority, Mr Lee Koo was Deputy Chief Executive of the Canberra
Hospital. His background includes: health services policy, planning
and purchasing; managing the delivery of hospital, community and
public health services; and corporate management encompassing
finance, human resources and information services.
He has held management and leadership positions in a range of Australian Government, state and territory agencies at the executive level since 1983.
Mr Lee Koo has worked with the National Blood Authority since March 2005.
Mr Leigh McJames, Deputy General Manager, Contract Management and Supply Planning
Mr Leigh
McJames is the relationship manager for commercial suppliers Baxter
Healthcare, CSL Limited, Octapharma Australia Pty Ltd and Wyeth
Australia. He has a varied background in the Department of Defence,
including senior roles in the management of government corporate
support, acquisition and procurement, logistics and the development
and implementation of government strategic defence policy.
He has also filled representational and advisory appointments at the Australian Embassy in Washington and in Baghdad as part of the coalition rebuilding Iraq.
Mr McJames commenced working at the National Blood Authority in November 2006.
Mr Peter DeGraaff, Deputy General Manager, Contract Management and Supply Planning
Mr Peter DeGraaff was the National Blood Authority's relationship manager with commercial suppliers Baxter Healthcare, CSL Limited, Octapharma Australia Pty Ltd and Wyeth Australia. Following his first career as an officer in the Australian Army, he has had significant experience in Department of Defence procurement area and other senior management roles in the Industry Commission (now the Productivity Commission), the Australian Government Department of Housing and Regional Development and the Department of Health and Ageing.
Mr DeGraaff resigned from the National Blood Authority in October 2006.
National Blood Authority Audit Committee
The role of the Audit Committee is to provide expert advice to the General Manager on ways to enhance the organisation's control framework, improve the objectivity and reliability of externally published financial information and comply with legislative requirements and obligations.
The Audit Committee met five times in 2006–07 and assisted the NBA to meet its corporate governance responsibilities. The membership of the Audit Committee included:
- a National Blood Authority Board Member as chair (Mr Ken Barker)
- a National Blood Authority Board Member in addition to the Chair (Mr David Kalisch)
- an independent non-National Blood Authority Board member (Ms Jenny Morison)
- representatives from the Australian National Audit Office and the National Blood Authority's internal auditors as observers.
In 2006–07 the Audit Committee reviewed the audit charter, monitored progress against the audit program and implemented a protocol in line with the Australian National Audit Office better practice guidelines.
It also provided advice on the National Blood Authority's:
- internal audit program, reports and findings
- interim financial reports
- Certificate of Compliance framework for 2006–07
- annual financial statements
- compliance with legislative obligations such as the Business Continuity Plan, the Fraud Control Plan, the Risk Management Plan and its processes, revised Chief Executive's Instructions and the Operational Plan.
Internal audit program
The National Blood Authority's internal audit program focused on reviewing and analysing performance against key operational and financial risks, including contract negotiation and management. Findings from these internal audits have been minimal and, after consideration by the executive management committee, were addressed by the development of, or refinement to, the National Blood Authority's key business processes. Improvements made this year included:
- training for staff members in procurement guidelines and procedures
- drafting of more detailed guidelines on non-blood procurement
- implementing revised receipt of goods procedures.
The National Blood Authority has mandated that staff members attend training sessions on identified areas which are critical to the management of risk. Participation in courses run by the Australian Public Service Commission has ensured that staff members are aware of their obligations to stakeholders, governments and the Australian public on accountability and professionalism.
Fraud control program
The Audit Committee provided valuable advice on the implementation of the Fraud Control Plan. Key initiatives of the plan that were implemented this year included:
- educating and training staff members in fraud identification and reporting strategies
- regular random audits of portable and attractive items.
Relationship with external auditors
The National Blood Authority acknowledges the assistance provided by external auditors, including the Australian National Audit Office, in 2006–07, which has enabled the National Blood Authority to implement improvements. These improvements included changes to information communication technology infrastructure and the implementation of additional practices to support delegated activities.
External scrutiny
In 2006–07 the National Blood Authority was involved in a cross-agency audit for the Senate Order on Departmental and Agency Contracts (Calendar Year 2006 Compliance). The audit report on this matter is yet to be tabled.
Executive management arrangements
Issues arising from the internal governance procedures outlined above are given careful consideration through a monthly cycle of performance reporting, improvement and strategic planning as depicted in Figure 4.
