FMTS blog / Exciting challenges

Witness lifesaving surgery, help forecast and manage a £100 million clinical division and be one step away from being a Chartered accountant, these are just a few things that I have experienced and accomplished during the scheme.

The breadth of the difference finance areas that I have experience is vast and has allowed me to build a solid foundation to my professional career. Each day there are new challenges and a constant variety of work, making the NHS an exciting place to work. I have gone from investigating individual patient procedures codes one day to costing the trust-wide financial impact of thousands of tariff changes the next.

The scheme allows great flexibility which you do not get with a ‘normal’ job, this gives you plenty of opportunities to explore new and different areas. One memorable experience was when I shadowed staff members on a medium secure mental health facility; this really brought the finances to life and gave me a greater understanding of the services delivered by the Trust.

You can make a real difference! I didn’t believe that I could make such a difference at an early stage of my career but by getting stuck in and making the most of opportunities I did. During my 2nd placement I was a key team member who helped the trust improve its cash flow position by over a £1 million. This gave the Trust more flexibility, enabled it to generate further cash and strengthened the statement of financial position.

World class training, networking and education are constant throughout the scheme. I have attended numerous conferences which allow you to network with NHS staff from across the country, studied through Kaplan and given generous study leave to become a Chartered Accountant and attended many workshops, all of which help you to grow and become an essential part of the future NHS.