Comment / Change for the better

I hope you enjoyed the new format of the magazine last month and the new branding of the association. It’s very difficult to justify decisions over marketing and branding simply on the basis of cost – what data or logic can you apply, for example, to the decision to ‘go orange’? However, we felt it was the right time to change. Our blue logo, which has served us well for the last decade,  was difficult for designers and printers to work with and there was a general consensus that it was the right time for a change. 

Of course once you do that, you need to change everything, including this magazine, so we’ve kept true to its values and designed a new template around it. Use [email protected] to tell me what you think.

Our rebranding and membership push is the brainchild of Simon Dolph, our marketing director. He has a corporate background, latterly with the Chartered Institute of Management, where he undertook a similar challenge. Simon has helped us think about our strategy. He has helped us define our brand and our membership offering. We remain committed to our 10,000 challenge, whether that be full members or affiliates, as we build an organisation that is even more representative of NHS finance.  Simon has also been busy on the PR side in developing relationships with the media. Policy and technical director Paul Briddock is now being widely quoted in the national and trade press and this has come at a key time for the association. I don’t need to remind you of the need for HFMA to stand up for a function under significant pressure. 

Later this month, finance directors will receive our latest NHS financial temperature check survey, which has proved to be the most comprehensive survey of the finance function. Finance leaders have a unique view of both the service and financial pressures facing their organisations and the sector. It is vital this is shared in a detailed and level-headed way – and we believe the survey and report is the most responsible way of doing this. I urge all finance directors to take part and ensure our assessment is as representative of the function as possible.

We hope the initial results of the survey will be discussed by branches in November, ahead of a national media launch at the HFMA conference. The conference is only two months away. We have more than 500 delegates booked to attend, but there are still a few places left for one of the strongest line-ups we’ve seen in years. 

Simon Stevens will make his first speech to the HFMA conference since becoming NHS England chief executive last April, while, in line with our president’s  ‘Leading by numbers’ theme, speakers will look to challenge, support and inspire delegates in terms of their own personal development. I hope to see you there.