Financial Review and Improvement

After many years of efficiency targets, the NHS’s efforts to deliver productivity improvements were quite rightly paused during the pandemic. But in order to deliver elective recovery targets and to meet the increasing demand for non-elective services within a constrained financial framework, systems and providers are once again being asked to do more with less. The fact that the NHS now employs more people than prior to the pandemic, but has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels of activity, suggests that productivity improvements are there to be delivered. However the unprecedented waiting lists, often inadequate physical and digital infrastructure and a workforce which feels undervalued makes for a more difficult context in which to deliver those improvements than ever before.

Seagry has significant experience of supporting NHS systems and providers to obtain an accurate and detailed understanding of their financial and operation position, to identify the areas of opportunity, and to deliver on those areas. Specific services include the following:

• baseline ‘drivers of the deficit’ style reviews of your organisations financial position, to ensure that there is a clear articulation of the underlying position, and, importantly, that the drivers are understood and recognised by all relevant stakeholders;
• identification of areas of opportunity, based on a range of tailored benchmarking tools, complemented by a practical assessment of the art of the possible;
• support to organisational and system medium term financial forecast preparation, offering an alternative to ‘rolling forward last year’s budget’, and a critical friend review of prepared forecasts;
• robust programme management and governance support, in order to provide grip and control over your financial improvement programme, together with the assurance required by Boards, system and regulator; and
• well-being and resilience support for those colleagues impact by change.

We believe that change programmes are most successful when delivered with, rather than to, our clients; so we work closely with relevant financial and operational colleagues, in order to ensure buy-in, and maximise impact. We closely align with Trust Boards, understanding values and priorities, so we can complement and support leadership. Please get in touch to find out how we can support you to accelerate your financial improvement ambitions.