Finance Manager inCockermouth inCockermouth PUBLISHED 1 DEC 2023

Partnership Finance:

• Manage practice accounts and seek to maximise income.
• Prepare accounts for accountants and ensure end of quarter and end of year returns are completed for pensions, tax and all financial systems
• Ensure effective budgeting and reporting to ensure up to date accounts available to support financial health of partnership
• Oversee the management and reconciliation of bank accounts; negotiate and liaise with the practice bankers
• Ensure accurate budgeting and accountancy systems are maintained
• Prepare invoices and collect money promptly
• Make payments promptly and record correctly
• Ensure that expenses are reasonable and best value for money
• Monitor cash-flow
• Run payments systems for creditors and debtor management
• Ensure payroll is run effectively
• Maintain pensions records of all employed staff including GP Partners
• Manage financial aspects of employment for all staff and locum staff
• Engage in negotiation where necessary with the commissioning authority (ICB) and NHS England to ensure the practice receives an appropriate and equitable allocation of resources
• Understand and report on the financial implications of contract and legislation changes
• Ensure all financial processes are transparent and open for inspection
• Monitor and reconcile income and expenditure statements and purchase/sales ledger transactions
• Manage appropriate systems for handling and recording of cash and cheques and petty cash.
• Report to the partners on financial and operational performance KPIs
• Liaise with practice accountants/PCN business leads on financial affairs of the PCN.

Partnership Business performance:

• Lead for all estates management via our Landlord (CHP) including negotiating with property services and ensuring best value for money
• Carry out regular reviews and benchmarking of business aspects of the practice to identify areas of innovation, improvement, and development
• Ensure the practice is delivering services in accordance with national and local regulation of primary care so that the practice can demonstrate achievement of relevant standards of care
• Business governance - ensure the business is run in accordance with all guidelines and legislation e.g. health and safety, tax, finance etc.
• Manage financial risk by carrying out risk assessments where necessary and maintaining risk registers with Practice Manager
• Support Business Continuity Planning
• Attend local and regional meetings as agreed with the Practice Manager and Partners to ensure effective understanding of existing and new opportunities and challenges
• Work with IT suppliers to ensure effective use of all IT and telephony systems through configuration, reporting on usage and planning effective training with Practice Manager.
• Identify and report to partners regularly on key performance indicators.
• Where appropriate use local and national systems to benchmark the business aspects of the practice.
• Ensure the business is appropriately insured for all relevant aspects, seeking quotes and comparisons as necessary.
• Manage contracts for key services to ensure best service and value for money and maintain productive relationships with key service providers
• Working with Practice Manager, attend, contribute to and feedback to partners on relevant locality and area meetings to support Primary Care Network and identify opportunities and threats.

Partnership income streams and IT:

• Maintain registration policies and monitor patient turnover and capitation to ensure that financial goals are met
• Routinely monitor and assess practice performance against patient access and demand management targets
• Oversee the evaluation of and plan practice IT implementation and modernisation
• Oversee the latest development in primary care IT and ensure that the practice has the necessary IT equipment and efficient telephone systems
• Ensure that the practice has effective IT data security, back-up, maintenance and disaster recovery plans in place
• Liaise with the ICB regarding systems procurement, IT funding and national IT development programmes.

Leadership and Change management:

• Demonstrate leadership and change management and support the capacity for both within teams. Support the Practice Manager in developing and implementing processes to support staff morale, to achieve good levels of staff development and retention
• Work with Practice Manager and partners to develop new models of care and staffing structures to improve service and financial efficiencies including exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence
• Present ideas and support others to develop areas for opportunity and effective functioning of the business
• Support Practice Manager to set agendas and make proposals to meetings; record appropriately for professional and business governance and follow up actions.
• Keep abreast of current affairs and identify potential opportunities and threats.
• Contribute to practice strategy; formulate objectives and research and develop ideas for future practice development
• Develop and maintain effective communication both within the practice and with relevant outside agencies

Personal development:

• To be aware of national, local and practice quality standards for all aspects of general practice
• To take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance
• To participate in the practice appraisal scheme.
• To attend educational and other meetings as required.
• To undertake training as required including mandatory and statutory training, core skills training and ongoing developmental training
• To recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of the whole primary health care team.
• To strive to maintain quality within the practice and to alert other team members and line manager to issues of quality and risk.
• To assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• To effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.

This list is not exhaustive and the post holder is expected to be flexible according to the partnership needs agreed by the GP partners.

This role will suit professionals from NHS and non-NHS backgrounds with considerable financial and business experience in complex organisations and transferable skills.

The Finance Manager is responsible for ensuring the practice is a sustainable and thriving business, by overseeing all business transactions, accessing all relevant claims and funds, and seeking additional earning and funding opportunities. The finance manager will work with Partners and Practice Manager to develop the practice through effective business and financial management, continued development of income streams, the implementation of effective services contracts and responding to opportunities with business cases and proposals.

Working with the Practice Manager, the Finance Manager will ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the practice and will act as a role model to demonstrate partnership values and professional behaviour.

The Finance Manager is accountable to the partners through the Practice Manager for managing the business planning and transactions of the practice on a day-to-day basis, ensuring services are maintained for patients at all practice sites through estate management, effective business systems, accurate reporting, business and financial information and supplier contract management.

The Finance Manager will ensure all services rendered are claimed for.

At a time of considerable change and challenge for Primary Care the Finance Manager will have a particular responsibility in ensuring the continued development of the Practice through a thorough understanding of the funding regime for Primary Care, fully accessing income streams and identifying new opportunities for the organisation.