HFMAtalk

In this episode of HFMAtalk, we share a session from our recent pre-accounts planning event.Chaired by Debbie Paterson, senior technical manager at the HFMA, the discussion features Gary Mincher, finance manager at Wye Valley NHS Trust, and Ian Howse, key audit partner at Deloitte. They explore how to foster effective relationships with your auditor, highlight best practices, and outline the critical questions to ask for a smoother audit process.

In this episode, we explore why sustainability reporting is now a board-level priority and why finance leaders must take an active role.Kat Ridley, policy manager at the HFMA, is joined by William Hughes, director and climate & nature sustainability services lead at Forvis Mazars, and Wendy Cheeseman, head of sustainability and carbon management at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to discuss the updated HFMA sustainability reporting briefing and what it means for organisations preparing their year-end accounts.They address common misconceptions, the impact of Phase 3 TCFD reporting, and the growing importance of climate-related scenario modelling for finance teams. The conversation highlights the risks of disengagement, the benefits of integrating sustainability into financial decision-making, and the practical steps finance leaders should take ahead of the 2025/26 year end to ensure robust reporting.You can find the policy briefing here.

In the second episode of our annual conference special, we reflect on day two, which saw Catherine Phillips take the stage as the new president of the HFMA, alongside sessions focused on the NHS ten year plan. We spoke to our guest speakers and HFMA delegates to find out how the plan will be implemented and the various challenges along the way. In 2026, the HFMA annual conference is moving to Birmingham. You can buy tickets for the event ⁠here.

In this episode, we’re bringing you a recording of a recent webinar from our series exploring the 10-year health plan and what it means for finance.In this session, Phill Wells, deputy chief financial officer - strategic finance, NHS England, offers a comprehensive overview of the plan, with a particular focus on the implications for finance professionals working across the health service.The session is chaired by Simon Crowther, acting chief executive, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is followed by a Q&A.You can book tickets for the HFMA annual conference here.

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 April 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, 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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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.