Evaluation of the NHS Wales Finance Academy Graduate Scheme

Tender description

The NHS Wales Finance Academy is a collaboration of NHS Wales Finance Directors from across NHS Wales with the common goal of supporting and promoting the continuous development of the NHS Finance profession in Wales. Relaunched in 2016 after a comprehensive census of the finance function noted an ageing workforce and a lack of a pipeline of talent coming through. The original objectives therefore were to support that future loss of experience and leadership thus looking to future proof our function and source future leaders - As part of its Talent Pipeline Programme, therefore, the NHS Wales Financial Management Graduate Trainee Scheme is designed to attract ‘high flying’ graduates with the potential to become NHS Wales Finance Directors and senior finance leaders and who through this scheme will learn practical financial and management skills and grow their leadership strengths. The aims of the scheme are therefore to: • Attract and retain talent to the NHS Wales Finance Function; • To ensure a pipeline of talent with the potential to take on senior and director level roles in the future; • To involve the employing organisations in the design and delivery of the scheme ensuring full ownership across the NHS Wales Finance Function; • Embed as a key strategic partner the professional accountancy body delivering the professional accountancy qualification (currently ACCA) Overarching responsibility for delivery of the scheme will reside with the Finance Academy on behalf of NHS Wales. This will include ensuring that the scheme is delivered to a high standard and that host organisations are meeting their responsibility of ensuring the experiential learning as required as the qualification is delivered. Graduates are placed within a host organisation for the duration of the three years scheme on a fixed term basis, rotating through the finance department on a supernumerary basis, moving from transactional-based processes and functions to a higher level of responsibility at the end of the scheme. In addition graduates are also afforded the opportunity to work with other NHS Wales organisations for placements. Now recruiting its 7th cohort we are looking to review our scheme, including our recruitment process and the programme itself ensuring they are still fit for purpose and also that the scheme has the required impact within our finance teams. Potential bidders are invited to ‘Express Interest’ in this opportunity by emailing Nadine.stokes@wales.nhs.uk. Further details will then be supplied upon receipt of the Expression of Interest. Please note that no tender documents are available as yet and neither is it confirmed that this process will proceed.