Comment / Support in tough times

I trust you’ve had a good break, if you’ve had the chance to get a holiday this summer. As a keen watcher of sport I spent much of it devouring the Olympic coverage. It’s great to watch people at the top of their game and it is easy to forget the years of training that have gone into it. It reminds me that we must all devote time to developing ourselves so we can Step up to the challenges around. It is important we network, read and reflect on our work so we can become better at what we do.

The HFMA was formed back in 1950 so that finance professionals could improve themselves. Our mission is even more relevant today, for even in post-war Britain it is unlikely they will have had to deal with the demands ahead of us now. With unprecedented pressure on the system and limited funds, ‘squaring the circle’ has become a tricky art for the finance professional.

We are of course committed to helping you get better at what you do. Our Step up programme is packed full of resources to help. Local branch seminars are supplemented by a couple of big national programmes in the autumn. We are hosting a series of new webinars on these issues and, as part of the support network, we are looking to train a new cadre of mentors. There’s plenty of resources on our website and we have a great search facility, with all our items tagged to ensure you can find what you’re looking for.

In England, the sustainability and transformation planning process is dominating our agendas as health economies look to demonstrate their readiness. In some areas, the process will no doubt lead to major restructuring and even some full-blown mergers.

I first wrote about accountable care organisations following a trip to see colleagues in the US some years ago and, like pay for performance before it, there is talk of the concept coming here. Of course, colleagues in the other three nations will merely feel England is catching up, though I wouldn’t write off commissioning just yet. It has an important part to play in specifying and agreeing services bought locally.

As usual, my colleagues are lining up more opportunities at national, branch and faculty level this autumn, so if you can spare the time, please check them out. We have a busy season of branch conferences ahead, as well as our national conference in December, at which former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King will be a keynote speaker. And we are busy signing up one or two more. Delegate numbers are looking good, so sign up to avoid disappointment.

Finally, I wanted to announce that from 1 October you will be able to pay your subscription by monthly direct debit. It’s £6 per month if you are a full paying member and £4 if you’re an abated member. It’s still cheaper to pay in one go (£60 by direct debit per year) but many have said forking out one lump is difficult. If you’re thinking of switching, let us know, though you won’t be able to switch until your renewal date.