Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements
Opinion on financial statements
We have audited the financial statements of West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (the ‘Trust’) for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the Statement of Comprehensive Income, the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Changes in Equity, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of material accounting policy information. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and international accounting standards in conformity with the requirements of the Accounts Directions issued under Schedule 7 of the National Health Service Act 2006, as interpreted and adapted by the Department of Health and Social Care Group Accounting Manual 2024 to 2025.
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Trust as at 31 March 2025 and of the Trust’s expenditure and income for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with international accounting standards as interpreted and adapted by the Department of Health and Social Care Group Accounting Manual 2024 to 2025; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Health Service Act 2006.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law, as required by the Code of Audit Practice (2024) (“the Code of Audit Practice”) approved by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the ‘Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements’ section of our report.
We are independent of the Trust in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
The Accounting Officer has prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis as they have not been informed by the relevant national body of the intention to dissolve the Trust without the transfer of its services to another public sector entity. They have also concluded that there are no material uncertainties that could have cast significant doubt over its ability to continue as a going concern for at least a year from the date of approval of the financial statements.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Accounting Officer’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Accounting Officer with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Accounting Officer is responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Other information we are required to report on by exception under the Code of Audit Practice
Under the Code of Audit Practice published by the National Audit Office in November 2024 on behalf of the Comptroller and Auditor General (the “Code of Audit Practice”) we are required to consider whether the Annual Governance Statement does not comply with the disclosure requirements set out in the NHS foundation trust annual reporting manual 2024 to 2025 or is misleading or inconsistent with the information of which we are aware from our audit. We are not required to consider whether the Annual Governance Statement addresses all risks and controls or that risks are satisfactorily addressed by internal controls.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinion on other matters required by the Code of Audit Practice
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- the parts of the Remuneration Report and the Staff Report to be audited have been properly prepared in accordance with the NHS foundation trust annual reporting manual 2024 to 2025; and
- based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit of the financial statements and our knowledge of the Trust, the other information published together with the financial statements in the annual report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
Under the Code of Audit Practice, we are required to report to you if:
- we issue a report in the public interest under Schedule 10 (3) of the National Health Service Act 2006 in the course of, or at the conclusion of the audit; or
- we refer a matter to the regulator under Schedule 10 (6) of the National Health Service Act 2006 because we have reason to believe that the Trust, or an officer of the Trust, is about to make, or has made, a decision which involves or would involve the incurring of unlawful expenditure, or is about to take, or has begun to take a course of action which, if followed to its conclusion, would be unlawful and likely to cause a loss or deficiency.
We have nothing to report in respect of the above matters.
Responsibilities of the Accounting Officer
As explained more fully in the Statement of the Chief Executive’s responsibilities as the accounting officer, the Chief Executive, as Accounting Officer, is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in the form and on the basis set out in the Accounts Directions included in the NHS foundation trust annual reporting manual 2024 to2025, for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Accounting Officer determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the Accounting Officer is responsible for assessing the group’s and the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Accounting Officer has been informed by the relevant national body of the intention to dissolve the Trust and the group without the transfer of the services to another public sector entity.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
- We have considered the nature of the sector, control environment and financial performance;
- We have considered the results of enquiries with management, internal audit and the Audit Committee in relation to their own identification and assessment of the risk of irregularities within the entity, and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or whether they had any knowledge of actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
- We have reviewed the documentation of key processes and controls and performed walkthroughs of transactions to confirm that the systems are operating in line with documentation;
- Any matters identified having obtained and reviewed the Trust’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to:
- Identifying, evaluation and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;
- Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
- The internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
- We have considered the matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud.
As a result of these procedures, we have considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the organisation for fraud and identified the highest area of risk to be in relation to income and expenditure recognition, with a particular risk in relation to year-end cut off. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK) we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We have also obtained understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the Trust operates in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The key laws and regulations we considered in this context are those related to the reporting frameworks (international accounting standards and the National Health Service Act 2006, as interpreted and adapted by the Department of Health and Social Care Group Accounting Manual 2024 to 2025).
In addition, we considered the provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the Trust’s ability to operate or avoid a material penalty. These include data protection regulations, health and safety regulations, employment legislation, and money laundering legislation.
Our procedures to respond to risks identified included the following:
- Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
- Performing analytical procedures to identify unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
- Reviewing Board meeting minutes;
- Enquiring of management in relation to actual and potential claims or litigations;
- Performing detailed transactional testing in relation to the recognition of income, with a particular focus around year-end cut off; and
- In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgments made in accounting estimates are indicative of potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all members of the engagement team and remained alert to possible indicators of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
As a result of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that not all irregularities, including material misstatements in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation, will be detected by us, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs (UK). The risk increases the further removed compliance with a law or regulation is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, given we will be less likely to be aware of it, or should the irregularity occur as a result of fraud rather than a one-off error, as this may involve intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
Report on other legal and regulatory matters
Matter on which we are required to report by exception – the Trust’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources
Under the Code of Audit Practice, we are required to report to you if, in our opinion, we have not been able to satisfy ourselves that the Trust has made proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources for the year ended 31 March 2025.
We have nothing to report in respect of the above matter.
Responsibilities of the Accounting Officer
As explained in the Statement of Accountable Officer’s Responsibilities, the Chief Executive, as Accountable Officer, is responsible for putting in place proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of the Trust’s resources.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the review of the Trust’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources
We are required under paragraph 1 of Schedule 10 of the National Health Service Act 2006 to be satisfied that the Trust has made proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources. We are not required to consider, nor have we considered, whether all aspects of the Trust’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources are operating effectively.
We have undertaken our review in accordance with the Code of Audit Practice, having regard to the guidance issued by the Comptroller and Auditor General in November 2024 and related statutory guidance. We considered whether the Trust has proper arrangements in place to ensure financial sustainability, proper governance and the use of information about costs and performance to improve the way it manages and delivers its services.
We document our understanding of the arrangements the Trust has in place for each of these three specified reporting criteria, gathering sufficient evidence to support our risk assessment and commentary in our Auditor’s Annual Report. In undertaking our work, we consider whether there is evidence to suggest that there are significant weaknesses in arrangements.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements – Delay in certification of completion of the audit
We cannot formally conclude the audit and issue an audit certificate for West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 10 of the National Health Service Act 2006 and the Code of Audit Practice until we have:
- confirmation from the NAO that no additional work will be required in respect of the Consolidated NHS Provider Accounts exercise.
We are satisfied that this work does not have a material effect on the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the Council of Governors of the Trust, as a body, in accordance with Schedule 10 of the National Health Service Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Council of Governors of the Trust those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Trust and the Trust’s Council of Governors, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Alex Walling, Key Audit Partner
for and on behalf of Bishop Fleming LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
10 Temple Back, Redcliffe,
Bristol
BS1 6FL