Comment / Books for keepers

The association continues to be busy as we approach the hectic final accounts period. We continue to meet important players in the new world to see how HFMA can play a role – our way of taking control of the agenda.

 I am delighted that this month sees the publication of the Acute health clinical costing standards, which should have landed on finance directors’ desks. They are the result of many hours of work by the HFMA Costing Special Interest Group and HFMA staff and they set the scene for the patient level costing agenda within the service.  We have also completed a ‘light refresh’ of mental health standards and these are available from the new costing area on the HFMA website. But we are clear  the mental health standards are still very much a work in progress. We hope to continue working with the Department of Health over the next year on the development of these standards and other support. We acknowledge the new economic regulator is likely to take the lead in this area in future.

Our Audit committee handbook, due for release this month, is another example of our collaboration with the Department. For various reasons this is much later than billed – and it’s been suggested to me that there are more illegal copies out there than an early Bob Dylan LP. Perhaps not as collectable, but we believe it provides robust guidance. Sorry for the wait.

Both these publications are being sent to finance directors, free. However I would also draw attention to a number of ‘for sale’ items coming out. First we have an updated version of the ever-popular Introductory guide to NHS finance. The last version came out in 2008 and the NHS has clearly moved on. While we are clearly still in a state of flux, the 10th edition acknowledges the changes set out in the health bill. The guide really is a must-have for non-executives, board executives, budget holders and those new to NHS finance – and we know it is not unheard of for finance directors to keep a copy handy for easy reference purposes.

Ensuring all staff understand how finance works in the NHS is increasingly important as we move into tighter financial times and we believe our introductory guide has a small but important part to play.

We are also launching the second Integrated governance guide, and given that the first edition has long been sold out, this has been well overdue. 

Another old favourite is also back. The Patients’ monies and belongings guide has been refreshed and updated and is a welcome addition to our catalogue. We have a similarly strong offering available on the events side, and you will no doubt have noticed quite a lot of emails coming out advertising various programmes. Our FT Finance annual conference is immediately preceded by the ‘Building the NHS’ event, and both are set to provide important highlights for the summer calendar. 

You may have also noticed that the early booker for HFMA annual conference – our main event – is now out.  Although HFMA 2011 is still more than six months away, we have a healthy stream of interest because delegates who attend every year know how booked up it gets.

It is important we keep ourselves up to date to enable us to ‘take control’ of the agenda.  I know it is exceptionally difficult at this time for all finance staff.  If you know of any further ways HFMA can be help, please do not hesitate to contact me.