Leading business support specialist NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has appointed a new director to head up the provision of its finance and accounting service to NHS client organisations. Stephen Sutcliffe, a former NHS director of finance, with a wealth of experience in both the NHS provider and commissioning sectors, has been appointed as director of finance and accounting.
He will lead the delivery and growth of the NHS SBS Finance & Accounting (F&A) division, where services include both transactional functions, such as invoice processing and VAT management, together with more strategic consultancy services which help NHS organisations adopt best practice processes and harness the power of the data available to them.
Commenting on his appointment, Stephen Sutcliffe said: "Improving the way the NHS transacts and uses data to intelligently commission and provide services is highly important at a time when billions of pounds of efficiency savings are needed to ensure the sustainability of the health service. I look forward to working with NHS SBS customers and developing finance and accounting services to help meet the pressing needs of the NHS."
Sutcliffe brings with him over 20 years' experience in the healthcare finance sector, having held accountancy roles with several major trusts, as well as senior positions at Oldham PCT, Greater Manchester Commissioning Support Unit and Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group.
The NHS SBS F&A business provides services to all NHS commissioning organisations, having been responsible for designing and implementing the first standardised finance platform for NHS England across the commissioning landscape.
In addition, the F&A business provides services to 73 NHS provider organisations, achieving an average of up to 40% cost savings for each client, as well as greater efficiency and service quality.
David Morris, NHS SBS managing director, said: "With such a significant background in the healthcare finance world, Stephen will be a great asset to our organisation as we look at how we can achieve greater financial stability and efficiency for our clients."
NHS SBS, which also provides employment and procurement services to the NHS, has delivered £350 million of savings to its NHS clients since 2005, freeing-up more funds for frontline care. The organisation is now on-track to deliver £1 billion savings back to the NHS by 2020.
About NHS SBS
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) is the market leader in business support services for the NHS. It provides finance and accounting, employment services, procurement and primary care services, delivering operational efficiencies and improved service quality as well as real cost savings, on average 30%, for its NHS clients. Established in 2005, NHS SBS is a 50/50 joint venture between the Department of Health and Sopra Steria Limited. The organisation now provides financial services to 100% of all NHS commissioning organisations and a range of business support services for around 50% of NHS provider trusts.
NHS SBS currently employs over 1,750 people who bring a unique mix of NHS and commercial expertise. They process over £170 billion of NHS payments each year and pay 390,000 NHS employees. The organisation has also identified more than £350 million procurement savings opportunities. NHS SBS is on-course to achieve £1 billion of cost savings to the NHS by 2020, having achieved its original 10-year target of £224 million of cost savings, a year earlier than planned in 2014.