Most (88%) of the bodies which the NAO audits said that the watchdog provides “an appropriate level of constructive challenge”, and 67% said its work has improved their approach to financial management.
Half of audited bodies said that NAO value for money studies have led to improvements in services – an improvement on 2012-13. The annual report also includes examples showing the NAO’s impact, such as a 2010 report on major trauma care which helped to reduce the odds that a patient will die after suffering severe trauma by 20%.
The NAO’s resource budget has been reduced by 17% since 2010-11, and it plans to cut spending by a further 5% in 2014-15 compared to the previous financial year.