HFMAtalk

In this bite-sized episode of HFMAtalk, Steve Brown, Editor of the HFMA magazine Healthcare Finance, joins the podcast to provide insight on the latest news stories and wider challenges facing the NHS. The NHS faces severe financial pressures, including government demands to cut running costs and balance budgets. But those running cost reductions will mean redundancies, which need to be funded if the service is going to deliver its breakeven promise. This episode explores the impact on integrated care boards, the uncertainty for staff, and the urgent need for clarity from NHS England on funding and timelines.You can register for the HFMA annual conference event ⁠⁠here.

Join Lee Outhwaite, director of finance and contracting at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Sanjay Agrawal, consultant in respiratory medicine and critical care at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, as they share their insights into the importance of collaborative working between finance and clinical staff. This episode will cover: A look at how both finance and clinical staff need to understand the business What collaborative working looks like Reaping the benefits of quality improvement projects Using patient-level information and cost data (PLICS) to understand variation Moving to a value-based approach with a focus on population health More information on some of the topics covered in this podcast: HCF article: Roundtable: the right outcomes Blog: Why should finance directors invest in capturing patient-relevant outcomes? Briefing: What finance data is required to drive value at a population level? Briefing: Exploring the role of the NHS finance business partner EVO (Engagement Value Outcome) What is PLICS?  Find out more about the HFMA Healthcare Costing for Value Institute The concept of ‘value’ in healthcare – maximising the outcomes which matter to people at the lowest possible cost – is increasingly seen as a key lever for supporting the delivery of high quality sustainable healthcare. The challenge is how to do this in practice – both at an organisational and system level with the move to more integrated care for local populations. HFMA’s Healthcare Costing for Value Institute supports the NHS to improve costing, turn data into powerful patient-level information, champion multi-disciplinary engagement, and ultimately drive value across patient pathways.

In this episode, we explore how University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UCHW) has embedded the Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS) to improve patient care and deliver greater value.We speak to Marie Fogarty, group clinical director, and Lynda Mott, a modern matron, about how the system has been embedded in the trust and hear real-world examples of its impact on patient care, staff engagement, and financial savings.VMPS is an internationally renowned system that focuses on eliminating waste, reducing variation, and putting the patient first in every process. In spring 2026, the HFMA and Virginia Mason Institute are hosting a two-day study tour of UHCW giving NHS leaders the opportunity to see how the trust has adapted and benefited from the VMPS in an NHS setting.Find out more about the tour and register your interest on the HFMA website.

In this episode, we’re bringing you a session from our recent Environmental sustainability series event. During the session, Phillip Branford, environmental and sustainability officer at Sheffield Children's Hospital, outlines the process and impact of the trust decommissioning its nitrous oxide and pipeline systems.This work earned the organisation the 2024 HFMA Environmental Sustainability Award — a fantastic example of clinical and finance teams working together to drive meaningful change.Nominations for the HFMA Awards 2025 are now open until Friday 3 October 2025. You can find out more and start your nomination ⁠here.You can register for the HFMA annual conference event ⁠here.

In this episode, Emma Knowles, HFMA director of policy and communications, sits down with current HFMA president Lee Outhwaite.Lee reflects on his career in NHS finance, from starting out in Plymouth in the early 1990s to his current role as CFO at South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, sharing stories from across his time in both provider and commissioning roles.He discusses insights from attending the HFMA US annual conference, his presidential theme of values and value, and how finance leaders can respond to today's challenges with honesty, perspective and purpose. Lee also opens up about what supports him, what helps him unwind, and what he hopes the future holds, for the NHS and for himself.Lee will be at the HFMA annual conference in London in December, where he will be reflecting on his theme and year as president. You can register for the event here.

In this episode, we are joined by 2024 Rising Star award winner Sofiya Khan-Ringshaw. Now a costing analyst at North East London Foundation Trust and chair of both the HFMA next gen committee and London student finance network, Sofiya shares how she found her footing in NHS finance after joining as an apprentice at just 16.From overcoming self-doubt to driving national networks and mentoring others, she talks candidly about the power of short-term goals, the importance of representation, and what keeps her inspired to make a difference.This conversation is packed with practical advice and encouragement for everyone in NHS finance, especially bands 2–6 staff looking to shape a meaningful and rewarding career.Nominations for the HFMA Awards 2025 are now open until Friday 3 October 2025. You can find out more and start your nomination here.

In today’s episode, we’re bringing you a recording from a recent ICB Forum event where we explored one of the key components of shifting towards more proactive, community-based and integrated care: integrated neighbourhood teams, or INTs.Katrina Percy and Martin Almond from the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) share their insights on what makes an INT successful and the crucial role that integrated care boards can play in enabling innovation and integration. You can register for the HFMA annual conference ⁠here.

In this episode, Steve Brown, Editor of the HFMA magazine Healthcare Finance, joins the podcast to provide insight on the latest news stories and wider challenges facing the NHS.You can register yourself or your team for the free HFMA members' summer series event ⁠⁠⁠here.

As the NHS in England faces unprecedented levels of uncertainty and change, the impact on individuals working within the service cannot be underestimated. With that in mind, in today’s episode, we showcase a conversation between Jodi Martin, Senior Strategic Finance Manager at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust as well as a Mental health and wellbeing champion for One NHS Finance, alongside Andy Barton, a mental health nurse also at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.Together, they share their personal journeys into the world of wellbeing, and offer practical advice for anyone who might be struggling—or simply looking for new ways to take care of themselves and their colleagues.You can visit the One NHS Finance website here.If you're interested in becoming a health and wellbeing champion, you can find more information here.You can find your closest Talking Therapies GP by visiting the NHS website here.The ONF resource, supporting our staff, can be found here.

In this episode, we’re shining a spotlight on the HFMA mental health and learning disabilities network — exploring the role it plays in supporting finance professionals and improving services across the NHS.We’re joined by Suzanne Robinson, former chair of the network, and Adrian Snarr, the current chair. They reflect on their involvement, the challenges facing mental health services today, and what’s next for the network as it continues to evolve.This episode focuses on mental health and includes a discussion of topics such as suicidal thoughts. Some listeners may find this content distressing. Please take care while listening and seek support if you need it.You can find more information on the mental health and learning disabilities network here and if you're interested in joining, please email emily.simmonds@hfma.org.uk.You can register yourself or your team for the free HFMA members' summer series event ⁠⁠here.

The HFMA recently published a report titled, The NHS finance function in 2024: England. Produced every two years, the report provides a unique snapshot of the makeup of the NHS finance function in England, and how it is changing over time.In this episode, two of the HFMA’s senior policy managers: Lisa Robertson and Emily Hopkinson will explore the publication, explain how the data was gathered, and discuss what it shows about today’s finance workforce.You can find the report on the HFMA website here.You can register yourself or your team for the free HFMA members' summer series event ⁠here.

In this episode, we share a conversation between Lisa Robertson, senior policy manager at the HFMA, and Su Rollason, deputy chief executive officer and chief finance officer of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. Su reflects on her career and her role in leading one of theNHS’s most ambitious financial and operational transformations. This recording has been edited from a fireside chat webinar that took place in March.You can register yourself or your team for the free HFMA members' summer series event here.

In this episode, we share a conversation between Kathy Roe, Interim chief finance officer at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, and Jacob Lant, Chief executive at National Voices. They discuss the need for a stronger relationship between the NHS and the Voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.This recording has been edited from a session at our Integrated care series event, which took place in early March 2025.You can register for the HFMA annual conference here.

In this episode, Steve Brown, Editor of the HFMA magazine Healthcare Finance, joins the podcast to provide insight on the latest news stories and wider challenges facing the NHS.The surprise resignations of NHS England’s CEO, Amanda Pritchard, and CFO, Julian Kelly, have sent shockwaves through the sector. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to abolish NHS England entirely. This comes at a time of huge operational and financial challenges for the NHS across the whole UK as it looks to develop plans for 2025/26 that deliver sustainable services within budget.What does this mean for the future of NHS finance? And how will the NHS navigate these changes while planning for 2025/26?

In today’s episode, Debbie Paterson, senior technical manager at the HFMA, sits down with Lisa Robertson, senior policy manager at the HFMA, to discuss the 2024/25 financial year-end process. They explore some of the key challenges facing finance teams and auditors, important considerations to help ensure a smooth year-end, and the HFMA resources available to support everyone through the process.The HFMA has produced a number of resources to help navigate the process. Access them all here.For more details or to apply for the new VIFFs programme mentioned in this episode please visit hfma.to/viffs.

In March 2024, the HFMA, One NHS Finance and a group of NHS chief finance officers visited the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health Institute in Seattle to learn about their world-renowned approach to quality improvement. In this episode, Lee Outhwaite (NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board) , Amy Whitaker (Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust), and Yarlini Roberts (Kingston and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust) discuss the visit, the learnings they took away, and how it has impacted their approach to quality improvement locally.

In this episode, Emily Hopkinson, policy and research manager at the HFMA, speaks to Nigel Gloudon, associate director of finance and performance for Halton at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, and Wendy Wood, finance business partner at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Nigel and Wendy are part of the first-ever cohort of health inequalities finance fellows (HIFFs), a joint programme being run by the HFMA and NHS England. They discuss what attracted them to the programme, their findings from being part of it and how they are integrating their leanings into their finance roles to better support the NHS. Access all our work and resources related to addressing health inequalities here.

In this episode, Lisa Robertson, senior policy manager at the HFMA speaks with Paul Dillon Robinson, non-executive director at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Louise Cobain, assurance director at MIAA, about the HFMA's recently rewritten audit committee handbook. They discuss the key updates and topics covered, how it is of value to committee members and finance colleagues, and the role of the audit committee more generally.  The handbook is openly available, and all NHS organisations can claim printed copies of it for free.  Access the digital copy here. Claim your free printed copies here.

In this episode, the HFMA’s Debbie Paterson, senior technical manager, and Lisa Robertson, senior policy manager, discuss the 2023/24 financial year-end process. They outline what issues finance teams need to consider regarding the preparation and audit of the annual report and accounts and highlight the different HFMA resources available to support finance colleagues through the process. You can access the HFMA resources here.

In this episode, Mark Orchard spoke with Simon Worthington, director of finance at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. They discussed Simon's impressive career, as well as his key contributions to NHS finance including his work on the aligned incentive contract, working day one reporting and finance team development. You can expect to get valuable insights and learnings from Simon as he shares his experiences in this engaging conversation.