Feature / Pillars of strength

Members are at the centre of what the HFMA does. As a membership body, the association is focused on supporting its members, whether by providing networking opportunities, training and development, guidance or representing the views of the finance profession in discussions with government and other key stakeholders.

Even its broader role of supporting improvement in financial management generally and raising financial awareness among non-finance staff is undertaken on behalf of the finance function.

But the HFMA is also hugely dependent on its membership. The association enjoys a far more active membership than many professional associations, with hundreds of volunteers sitting across its various committees and special interest groups or taking a hands-on role within a branch. Members provide much of the technical expertise and service experience that informs the association’s work programme and comment.

But even in this active membership there are those that go the extra mile – members who, despite the pressures facing the whole finance community, find the time to deliver a major project or make a significant contribution to the association’s work programme.

Last year the association introduced Key Contributor Awards to acknowledge these ‘absolute deliverers’ – a phrase coined by association chief executive Mark Knight in describing the recipients. Following last year’s inaugural award ceremony, when 20 members received awards, the efforts of a further seven members have been recognised in 2012.

‘Such a high level of member involvement is what makes the HFMA unique,’ said Mr Knight. ‘What we do matters to members – which is why people give so generously of their time. We value the contributions we get from right across the membership, but these awards are a way of acknowledging exceptional individual contributions. Given the pressures everyone is facing in their day jobs, the contributions these members have made – from driving branch activities to leading national work on standards – is worthy of a special vote of thanks.’

The awards were presented by HFMA president Sue Jacques at a key supporters dinner held in Greenwich, south London, in July. The Painted Hall, within the Old Royal Naval College, provided a spectacular backdrop for the evening. Key contributors all receive five years’ free membership of the association.

Mr Knight also paid tribute to the association’s corporate sponsors, who attended the Key Supporters Dinner. ‘We have a significant work programme within the HFMA. In recent years we have built on our existing seminar and conference programme to deliver training and development through new channels such as e-learning and webinars.

‘And we continue to publish a wide range of briefings and guidance, as well as representing the function in the development and implementation of policy. The support from our sponsors is vital to us in enabling such a wide-ranging programme.’ The key contributors recognised in 2012 include:

Nigel Booth
Nominated by: Mark Knight

Mr Booth was recognised for his work for the Yorkshire and Humber branch. In addition to chairing the branch, he has been a long-time, passionate advocate for the association’s cause, both locally and nationally.

Fiona Boyle
Nominated by: Mark Knight

Ms Boyle led the association’s work to revise the Clinical costing standards during 2011/12.  This was the second year the HFMA had overseen the updating of the standards, having taken on the work from the Department of Health. As well as revisions to the acute standards, Ms Boyle led the work to update the mental health standards. This involved two sector-specific working groups and a survey of costing practitioners to ensure the standards addressed real issues being faced by costing practitioners supporting the implementation of patient-level costing locally.

Lynn Browell
Nominated by: Northern branch

Ms Browell has been a key member of the Northern Branch executive for years. She has also overseen local annual accounts workshops to support practitioners with pre-accounts planning – particularly important given this year’s agreement of balances exercise. Representatives from all the North East’s organisations attended and agreed a common method for  carrying out the exercise. This is said to have saved three or four days work for each organisation during the short year-end process. The agreed processes have been circulated to several other organisations.

John Bustard
Nominated by: Northern Ireland Branch

John Bustard is a longstanding committee member on the Northern Ireland Branch and works tirelessly on behalf of the HFMA. He plays a lead role in organising branch events and in looking after speakers and is a major driving force behind the events’ success and popularity.  He is a proactive promoter of the benefits of HFMA membership and a great ambassador for the association.

Ian Child
Nominated by: FT Technical Issues Group

Mr Child has taken an active role in the HFMA's foundation trust faculty, FT Finance, over the years. He attends almost all meetings of the FT Technical Issues Group and is a strong contributor to it. He has also spoken at events for both the FT faculty and Finance Skills Development technical programmes, often at short notice, and has been a key source of technical advice to the team at the HFMA.

Simon Dryborough
Nominated by: Scotland Branch

Mr Dryborough  has been an active contributor to the Scotland Branch for many years, serving on the branch executive committee and leading on the branch's communications. He has contributed enormously to the ideas for events and to the success of the annual Scottish conference over several years. He has also led the development of the branch's newsletter and contributed articles for Healthcare Finance. Mr Dryborough was unable to attend the dinner.

Paul Stefanoski
Nominated by: Mental Health Steering Group

Mr Stefanoski has taken an active role in the association’s mental health faculty, MH Finance, since its inception, attending almost all its meetings and forums.  He attends and contributes to the steering group and its work programme and has chaired meetings and forums, before officially taking on the role of vice-chair.  Most recently he has taken on the role of HFMA nominated representative on the Department of Health’s Mental Health Payment by Results Project Board. As such

The provides a key link as the only finance director invited to play a part in this board.  He is always available to help and advise the team at the HFMA and regularly contributes to Healthcare Finance.