News / Association publishes devolved nations survey

The census highlighted that a total of 1,389 people worked in NHS finance in Scotland, with 1,018 in Wales and 984 in Northern Ireland at the end of June 2015.

A third of finance staff in Scotland are qualified or studying for a finance qualification, including 21% who currently hold or are studying for a CCAB or equivalent body qualification.

In Wales, 49% have or are working towards a finance qualification, with just over a third holding or studying for CCAB or equivalent qualification.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, there is a smaller proportion of qualified staff, with 28% qualified or studying and 21% who either have or are studying with CCAB or an equivalent body. Different use of shared services across the UK nations could explain some of these differences.

The gender imbalance in top NHS finance jobs across the UK is largely reflected across the devolved nations. In Wales, only 25% of finance directors are women, even though women make up 65% of finance staff. Women make up 69% of the Northern Ireland finance workforce, but hold only 38% of finance director posts. In Scotland, however, 71% of finance staff are female and 63% of finance directors are women.

Average job satisfaction in Scotland is 6.4 out if 10 and 64% would like to spend the rest of their career in the NHS. The figures are similar in Wales.

However, while Northern Irish finance staff have the same level of job satisfaction, a lower proportion (45%) would like to spend the rest of their career in the NHS. Staff in Northern Ireland were also more likely to have spent time working outside the NHS.

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