Deputy Finance Director of the Year

This award is for professional excellence in financial management.  It recognises both the support given by a deputy to their finance director and an individual’s contribution to an organisation’s  financial performance and towards the improvement in health or healthcare locally or nationally. 

Shortlisted entrants may be asked to attend a judging panel to help judges understand more about the entry.

*By deputy finance director we mean any ‘second-in-line’ finance manager reporting directly to or deputising for the finance director.

Winner Joanne Fitzpatrick

Also shortlisted Elizabeth O’Mahony, NHS South; Frances Smith, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust; Martin Taylor, NHS Midlands and East SHA Cluster

Ready and able
Joanne Fitzpatrick has been named HFMA Deputy Finance Director of the Year, having shown ‘exceptional success’ in areas measured by the judges’ criteria – enterprise and innovation; contribution to the finance function; and delivering significant financial and service achievements.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust deputy director of finance was the pick of a strong field of four ‘incredibly talented individuals’ shortlisted for the prize, the judges said. She had demonstrated evidence of external and innovative working, her impact on commercial ventures was impressive and she had created good clinical links for patient level reporting.
‘Despite this impressive record, Ms Fitzpatrick was keen to pass the credit to her team and the rest of the staff at the Christie for the part they have played in her success. She is a most deserving winner,’ the judges added.
They highlighted two successes – helping staff gain a better understanding of NHS finance and establishing an innovative joint venture to provide patient services nationally and abroad.
The former included Ms Fitzpatrick’s leadership of the trust’s ‘Pence in the pound’ initiative, which aims to translate financial jargon and processes into simple terms.
‘She has found a way to engage with each and every member of staff at the Christie – from the porters to the most eminent consultants – to promote sound financial understanding and the alignment of financial understanding and effort,’ the judges said.
Ms Fitzpatrick said the ‘Pence in the pound’ scheme came from an initiative to reward clinical divisions that enhance or improve the delivery of services by giving them additional income. The scheme explained how funds were divided between the divisions. ‘We called it “Pence in the pound” so that non-finance staff could understand what we meant.’
She has led the trust’s cost improvement programme (CIP), working with divisions to establish realistic targets and reporting systems that track progress. She has fostered a culture where clinicians understand and accept the need for savings, aided by her team’s implementation of a patient level information and costing system. CIP targets have been achieved as a result.
She was closely involved in setting up the Christie Clinic LLP, a joint venture with an independent healthcare provider and the first of its type in the UK. It is forecast to treble the trust’s private patient earnings over the next decade, helping to support the organisation’s long-term position.
She helped lead the financial workstreams for this, including new operational and pricing methodologies, capital finance negotiations and accounting and tax.
 ‘I am honoured to receive this award. I don't think I could have done it without my boss, Ian Moston, and the team behind me. He’s devoted himself to helping me develop and has every faith in my abilities, which has given me confidence. The Christie’s a great place to work, from consultants to porters,’ she said.

The Judges

Sue Jacques, Executive Director of Finance & Deputy Chief Executive, County Durham & Darlington NHS FT and Vice President, HFMA

Janet Perry, NHS Financial Controller, Department of Health

Colin Carnall, Chief Executive, Cass Business School

Paul Assinder, Director of Finance & Information, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust