Professor Sir Ian Kennedy was yesterday awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Internal Auditors – UK and Ireland at the Institute’s Annual Gala Dinner in central London.

The fellowship was bestowed in recognition of Sir Ian’s pioneering achievements as Chairman of the Healthcare Commission where he has worked to improve internal control systems and corporate governance policies within the NHS.  Under Sir Ian’s leadership the potential of internal audit has been better utilised.  He has championed the use of audit methodology in risk-based regulation and has supported improvements in the governance of NHS organisations.

Upon receiving his award from IIA President, Philip Ratcliffe, Sir Ian commented, “I am extremely honoured to receive this Fellowship.  I have been involved with the Healthcare Commission during an interesting and challenging time in the NHS, an era where the need for accurate risk assessment and sound internal controls has never been greater in order to ensure the safety, effectiveness and quality of patient care.  The training and education of skilled internal auditors is crucial and the Institute is the custodian of the Standards to which all internal auditors should aspire.”

Professor Sir Ian Kennedy LL.D, Emeritus Professor of Health Law, Ethics and Policy at University College London, is an academic lawyer whose specialty is the ethics of medicine.  He is best known as the leader of the public enquiry into the excessive deaths in children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (1998-2001). This report adopted a whole-systems approach to understanding how the babies died and it led to the establishment of the Healthcare Commission which he has chaired from 2002 to March 2009.

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Photo: Sir Ian (right) receiving his award from President of the IIA – UK and Ireland, Philip Ratcliffe (left).

Contacts for Further Information:

1. Phil Gray, Marketing and Communications Director, Institute of Internal Auditors - UK and Ireland, 13 Abbbeville Mews, Clapham Park Road, London SW4 7BX.  Tel: 020 7819 1942, email: phil.gray@iia.org.uk.