Head of Finance - Primary Care

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services. We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

This post will be the Principal Finance Manager for the £859m Primary and Community Care budgets.

Working with the Head of Finance for Acute and wider national networks including SG and NES, they will develop consistent best practice management accounting policy and practice, make most efficient use of technology and data sources, to ensure there is good budgetary control and relevant, accurate and timely information to support sound decision making.

The postholder will develop competency frameworks for management accounting and develop training programmes which support both technical development and a proactive culture of supporting service in making best value decisions.

The post holder will develop methodologies to ensure financial information is linked with activity changes and workforce drivers to provide a clear picture of cost drivers and trends.

The postholder will be the organisational lead for ensuring payment and reporting of the £227m of primary care expenditure as well as participating in discussions on sustainability of practices, identifying, developing and helping implement various supports within the complex range of funding sources and regulations. This will involve both intensive crisis support when a practice can no longer continue and longer term proactive sustainability plans such as those under the Primary Care Improvement Fund.

They will also be the finance lead for the £140m of GP prescribing, understanding the complex flows and data nuances, forecasting outcomes and working with pharmacists and managers on the quality and efficiency agenda.

The post holder will deputise for the Chief Finance Manager in any of their duties both within the Board and in national meetings.

The post holder will line manage and support the senior management accountants in the HSCP’s, helping them with any difficult issues they encounter and ensuring forecasts and risk assessment are on a consistent basis, pulling together the overall position for Primary & Community Care.

The post holder will be the finance lead for the HSCP efficiency programme, ensuring adequate monitoring, prompting remedial action when slippage occurs and generating further ideas through networking, research, benchmarking and analysis.

The post holder will support the Chief Finance Manager and Director of Finance in overall financial planning by developing financial modelling and scenario planning for key changes that impact both on Primary & Community Care and wider NHS Lanarkshire.

• Educated to degree level or equivalent with significant financial experience at senior level within a large complex organisation;
• CCAB, CIMA or overseas equivalent Qualified Accountant;
• Well developed knowledge of issues affecting the NHS and their impact on financial strategy and management;
• Well developed knowledge of resource allocation and costing models within the NHS;
• Strong persuasive and influencing skills with the ability to present ideas and proposals and produce complex reports effectively at a senior level;
• Practical experience of applying relevant business and financial support tools;
• Demonstrate a track record in collaborative working that produces results;
• Demonstrate leadership and influencing skills and have a proven track record in developing structures and/or systems to support…