The purpose of the workshop organized by the ΝΤΑ and the Ministry of Health was to inform and raise awareness of both the leadership and the executives of the Regional Health Authorities (DYPE) on the Internal Audit Unit operation, as well as the added value of Internal Audit in the good governance of the Regional Health Authorities and the public hospitals supervised by them.
The important role of Internal Audit as a tool for prevention and protection of the Health Region Authorities and hospitals, as well as, for optimizing the efficiency of the processes, was presented during the workshop. During a technical meeting, the presentation of how the relevant legislative framework for the establishment of the Internal Audit Units in the Regional Health Authorities is implemented in practice was presented, while issues concerning the independence and impartiality of the Internal Audit function and the role of the Internal Audit Unit in each institution were highlighted, in order to achieve its objectives, which are related to good administration and the provision of quality health services offered to citizens.
The NTA Interim Governor Ms. Alexandra Rogkakou, the Secretary General of Human Resources in the Public Sector of the Ministry of Interior Ms Paraskevi Charalabogianni and the Secretary General of Health Services of the Health Ministry Mr Ioannis Kotsiopoulos addressed the conference.
Ms. Alexandra Rogkakou, NTA Interim Governor, referring to the NTA’s multi-level cooperation with the Greek Ministry of Health, in the field of fraud and corruption prevention and suppression, noted that “In 2021 we signed the Sectoral Strategy for health, which includes a significant number of actions to prevent, detect and address corruption phenomena, which, with the support of the Ministry’s political leadership, is being implemented at a very satisfactory pace”. Ms. Rogkakou continued by highlighting one of the most important aspects of the cooperation between the NTA and the Ministry, that of the implementation of the Law on Internal Control. As she said “Law 4795/2021 on the Internal Audit System and Internal Audit Units is a truly emblematic project for the Greek public administration. It establishes a single institutional framework throughout the greek public sector, which provides for the development of modern and effective Internal Audit Units, while introducing many innovations, such as the Internal Auditors’ Certification of Audit Competence, the professional upgrade and the legal protection of the Internal Auditor”.
Ms. Paraskevi Charalabogianni, Secretary General of Human Resources of the Public Sector of the Ministry of Interior stressed the importance of the new institutional framework stating that, “Law 4795/2021 and the Internal Audit System in the public sector is part of the institutional effort that has been made over the last 4 years, in cooperation with the NTA, to holistically address corruption phenomena, strengthen integrity and accountability as well as the overall improvement of the Public Administration operation. The Internal Audit, independently and objectively checks the stages of the processes and the internal procedures of each stage to identify possible errors, omissions, deficiencies and essentially sounds the alarm to ensure the good and effective operation of the institution. It is the first time that all the competent bodies are working closely together to develop a modern Internal Audit System that supports all the functions of health care institutions”.
Mr. Ioannis Kotsiopoulos, Secretary General of Health Services of the Health Ministry, in his speech said “The establishment of Internal Audit Units at the level of Health Regions is an innovation of the new institutional framework that indeed focuses on a holistic view and approach to internal audit. Our aim is for the Boards of the Health Regions to be aware of all the problems of the health structures they supervise and with the support of the Internal Audit Units to address, through standardized procedures, phenomena of both corruption and malfunctions in the provision of health services. The collection and evaluation of the recommendations of the Internal Audit Units’ reports can support, at a central level, the work of the Central Council of the Regional Health Authorities in taking horizontal measures relating to issues of transparency and integrity. The finalisation of the Regional Health Authorities’ Statutes will further help to optimise the supervision of mismanagement”.
Particularly significant were some examples of internal audits carried out in country’s public hospitals, briefly mentioned by the Secretary General, which demonstrate the lack of integrity in procedures and the absence of effective recommendations.
In closing, the Secretary General of Health Services urged the Governors and staff of the Internal Audit Units of the Regional Health Authorities to initiate substantive audits, so that by the end of the year, the expected Annual Reports - to ensure good governance for all hospitals in the country, could be prepared.
Finally, presentations were made by the Head of the NTA General Directorate for Integrity & Accountability Ms. Maria Konstantinidou and NTA executives, the Head of the General Directorate of Financial Audits of the Ministry of Finance Mr. Georgios Georgiou and the Head of the Internal Audit Directorate of the 2nd Regional Health Authority Mr. Athanasios Argyriadis.
Interventions were made by the Governors of the Regional Health Authorities attending the event, Mr. Mr. Ioannis Karvelis, Governor of the 6th Health Region, Mr. Nektarios Papavasiliou, Governor of the 7th Health Region and Mr. Christos Roilos Governor of the 2nd Health Region, as well as all the Directors of the Internal Control Units of the country’s seven Health Regions. The Governors Mr. P. Bogiatzidis and Mr. D. Tsalikakis of the 3rd and 4th Health Region respectively made their interventions online.