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Reports

Published

Actions for Mental health post-discharge care

Mental health post-discharge care

Health
Internal controls and governance
Service delivery

On 17 December 2015 the NSW Acting Auditor-General, Tony Whitfield, released a report on the care that is provided to mental health patients in the first seven days after they are discharged from acute mental health units.   The audit examined models of care provided by five Local Health Districts: Northern NSW, Sydney, Western Sydney, Central Coast, and Murrumbidgee. The audit looked at how well these Local Health Districts implemented the Ministry

Published

Actions for Sydney metropolitan bus contracts

Sydney metropolitan bus contracts

Transport
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Service delivery

On 9 September 2015, the Acting Auditor-General of New South Wales, Tony Whitfield, released a report on Sydney Metropolitan Bus Service Contracts.   All scheduled bus services in the Sydney metropolitan area are provided under contracts with the public and private operators. The contracts allow Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to determine what bus services are provided and to whom. This audit assessed the effectiveness of TfNSW’s design and management of

Published

Actions for Volume Two 2015 focusing on Universities

Volume Two 2015 focusing on Universities

Universities
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Risk

Generally, NSW universities are in a sound financial position, but average operating margins are falling and operating expenditure is growing faster than operative revenue.   The university sector’s average operating margin fell from 6.6 per cent in 2013 to 4.8 per cent in 2014 and combined operating expenditure grew 0.9 per cent more than operating revenue. Employee expenses in 2014 increased by an average of 5.1 per cent and other expenses by 5.8

Published

Actions for Managing length of stay and unplanned readmissions in NSW public hospitals

Managing length of stay and unplanned readmissions in NSW public hospitals

Health
Management and administration
Service delivery

NSW Health has achieved considerable success over recent years in reducing average length of stay despite increasing pressure on hospital admissions by older and chronically ill patients. This success has been driven by changes in the way health services are delivered, such as the increasing use of same day care for treatments that previously required overnight hospital stays.    There is a good level of length of stay information available and

Published

Actions for Areas of focus from 2014

Areas of focus from 2014

Education
Community Services
Finance
Health
Industry
Justice
Local Government
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Universities
Whole of Government
Environment
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Procurement
Project management
Risk

The 2014 audits showed that the quality and timeliness of financial reporting have continued to improve. However, many agencies do not have financial sustainability indicators that provide early warning of management issues, such as an inability to meet financial obligations. Weaknesses were identified in information security, management of leave balances, asset management and internal controls.   Governance issues and gaps in performance informat

Published

Actions for Mental Health Workforce

Mental Health Workforce

Health
Management and administration
Workforce and capability

Compared to the mental health workforce in most other Australian states and territories, the NSW workforce is more concentrated in acute hospitals for adult patients and is marginally smaller for its population. NSW Health increased its mental health workforce between 2006 and 2009. It has improved the geographical distribution of clinicians across the state to more closely match need. It has also increased the number of staff working with younger and ol

Published

Actions for Volume Nine 2010 focus on Transport, Planning and Industry

Volume Nine 2010 focus on Transport, Planning and Industry

Transport
Planning
Industry
Asset valuation
Compliance
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Regulation
Risk
Workforce and capability

The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government transport, planning and industry agencies for 2009-10. A key recommendation from the report is that the New South Wales Government identify lessons learnt from the metro experience and ensure that future decision processes are developed to ensure the State never again expends such a large amount of scarce transport funding dollars and valuable time on a project that does not proceed.

Published

Actions for Volume Six 2010 focus on Human Services and Technology

Volume Six 2010 focus on Human Services and Technology

Finance
Compliance
Fraud
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Workforce and capability

The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government human services and technology agencies. The audits of these agencies’ financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2010 each resulted in an unqualified Independent Auditor’s Report. The number of supported accommodation places for people with a disability has increased by 517 during 2009-10.

Published

Actions for Volume Five 2010 focus on Public Financing Enterprises

Volume Five 2010 focus on Public Financing Enterprises

Industry
Transport
Finance
Treasury
Planning
Financial reporting
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Regulation
Risk
Workforce and capability

The report includes comments on NSW Treasury and agencies in the finance and superannuation sectors. The New South Wales public sector superannuation funds’ investments were $42.2 billion at 30 June 2010, up from $38.5 billion in 2009. Investment returns reached 14.5 per cent in 2009-10. This is a significant improvement on the investment returns of up to negative 18.4 per cent at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008.  

Published

Actions for Volume Two 2010 focus on Universities

Volume Two 2010 focus on Universities

Universities
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Workforce and capability

New South Wales’ ten universities recorded a combined operating surplus of $494 million compared to a deficit of $76.9 million last year, reflecting the improvement in global financial markets. This was largely due to investment gains of $38.0 million in 2009 compared to $405 million of losses in 2008. Despite this, financial risks remain for universities. With the recovery in global financial markets remaining fragile, universities with overseas operati