News / Resounding vote of confidence for HFMA

More than seven out of 10 members of the HFMA say the association represents excellent or good value for money, says a membership survey that will inform HFMA strategy until 2015.

A further 25% rated the value of HFMA membership as satisfactory. However, 96% of those taking part – more than 800 finance professionals and associate members – said they would recommend membership to a colleague.

Members singled out the association’s ‘excellent’ training

and continuing professional development opportunities, some saying membership was ‘essential’ for finance managers in the NHS. Areas for improvement were also flagged up, including better services for members outside England.

Members also questioned if more benefits – such as access to conferences and networks – should be more exclusive to members.

More than 90% of respondents rated the content of Healthcare Finance as excellent or good. Nearly one in four members read the association’s magazine as soon as it arrives, and nearly three quarters of the rest are regular readers. Less than 1% of those surveyed never read the monthly magazine.

Asked to suggest improvements to the content, several members called for more basic articles, aimed at more junior or non-finance staff.

More than 80% of members were aware of the HFMA news alert service – which provides daily updates and a weekly wrap-up on guidance, publications and announcements of relevance to NHS finance staff. Some 70% of respondents used the service.

The vast majority of members used the weekly email to access the service rather than visiting the HFMA website on a daily basis. Nearly nine out of 10 news alert users rated it as excellent or good.

Most members only visit the HFMA website occasionally, with several relying on Healthcare Finance, the alerts or other email newsletters to highlight items of interest.

Branch and national events also attracted good ratings with more than 90% of members happy to recommend attendance to colleagues. Some 94% of respondents said HFMA met their training and development needs either well or adequately.

HFMA chief executive Mark Knight said the survey findings were a welcome endorsement of the association’s value to members. ‘We feel we offer good value in the breadth of what we offer – from our policy and technical work, through our publications and briefings and to our events and e-learning activities.

‘But we are determined to keep improving our offering. This is a member-driven association, which is at the same time focused on delivering benefits to members and reliant on member participation to ensure services are relevant and timely. With the financial challenges facing the NHS, we are determined to enhance our support for members and further improve our value.’

The survey has informed the HFMA draft strategy for the next five years and the association is committed to acting on many  of the recommendations raised.

See full survey results