Shared services yet to convince bosses

February 2nd , 2007 - FINANCE DIRECTORS IN England remain unconvinced by the financial services being offered by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), the HFMA’s survey has revealed. Just over 100 English finance directors taking part in the survey are not yet customers of the Department of Health’s joint venture with outsourcing specialist Xansa. More than three quarters of these said they did not anticipate joining NHS SBS within the next two years.

Among foundation trusts, this figure rose to more than 90%. Across the UK, the survey revealed uncertainty about the value of shared services. Just 29% believed that shared services would lead to better-quality financial information and reports, 35% believing quality would actually reduce. While 40% believed shared services would reduce the costs of financial services, 27% said costs would in fact increase. And 44% believed shared services would have a negative impact on financial control.

The survey showed finance directors in England take a dimmer view of shared services than colleagues across the wider UK. For instance while 38% of English directors believed shared services led to reduced quality of reports, this figure fell to 21% in the other UK nations. And 68% of non-English finance directors believed shared services would lower costs compared to just 36% in England.

In Scotland, 75% of finance directors taking part in the survey backed the mandatory approach being taken north of the border. Northern Irish finance directors also backed plans to introduce shared services across their health and social services sector. This is an extract taken from the HFMA Finance Directors Survey conducted in November 2006, sponsored by COA Solutions.

To view the initial findings, please click here