External audit praise for Age UK Sheffield

The city’s leading older person’s charity has passed its external national quality inspection with flying colours.

Age UK Sheffield received its new, tougher, external audit from Age UK inspectors in the spring – and was handed the “Charity Quality Standard” accreditation after a thorough process involving scrutiny of a wide range of documents and interviews with Trustees, staff and volunteers.

The report highlighted several areas of good practice, stating: “The information and advice team provide an excellent service to their clients by helping them to claim more than £2.6 million per annum. This is a great result for a very small team.

“The trustee induction process is a model of best practice. There is a trustee’s handbook that covers all aspects of the role. This includes an induction checklist to ensure everything is covered and signed off. The strategic plan and the review process around it is excellent. It has been developed at a high level but with the input from all levels and taking account of the views of customers.”

Age UK Sheffield Chief Executive, Steve Chu, said: “We are delighted with the report’s findings. We know how hard we work to provide excellent services to older people in Sheffield but it is especially rewarding when an auditor gives us that independent thumbs-up. We hope it gives older people in Sheffield and our local stakeholders assurance of the outstanding service provided by our staff and volunteers.”

Within the last year, Age UK Sheffield has also passed the ISO9001 quality mark and became the only older person’s organisation in Sheffield to attain the national Advice Quality Standard for information and advice.