Two neighbouring integrated care boards (ICBs) have appointed a joint chief finance officer to work across both organisations.
NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB and NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB announced that Bill Shields will replace Keith Griffiths and Stuart Poynor, who left their respective organisations in recent months.
Mr Shields is currently interim chief executive at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, appointed from his substantive post as deputy chief executive and chief finance officer at NHS Devon ICB. He has 28 years of board-level experience.
As joint chief finance officer, Mr Shields will work 50:50 across each ICB and be accountable to the chief executives at each organisation. The joint working arrangements will go through a period of learning and refinement and link to the wider strategic joint working approach between the ICBs and continually inform their development.
To reflect the wider determinants of health, Mr Shields will also be responsible for building partnerships and collaborating with system leaders beyond the NHS, including public health, local government, and the voluntary and community sector.
Dr Chris Clayton, chief executive of NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB, said appointing a joint chief finance officer made sense.
‘The joint arrangements further cement the partnership working across the East Midlands, connected to the opportunities available through the creation of the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
‘It has enabled the recruitment to a more strategic role, and Bill will lead the development of a strategy for financial sustainability across two systems to enable us to maximising synergies and benefits across the systems to meet our aims to improve health and healthcare,’ said Dr Clayton.
He added: ‘We’re delighted to have been able to secure the services of a candidate with Bill’s experience and calibre.’
Amanda Sullivan, chief executive of NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB said the appointment was an important step in financial planning.
‘Working alongside our ICB executives and wider system partners, Bill will lead the development and delivery of our long-term financial strategy. In seeking to meet our aims to improve local health and healthcare care, this financial strategy will ensure that NHS resources are effectively deployed and used to provide the best possible care for the population,’ she said.
Mr Shields has previously held a range of chief executive and chief finance officer roles in the NHS, and overseas. He is a previous chair of the audit committee at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, where he currently chairs its financial recovery group.
Mr Shields said he was delighted to take up the joint role, which will begin on 1 April.
‘The challenges facing NHS finances are well known, but I am joining two health systems who have the fundamental components in place to make the best use of the significant public resources at our disposal,’ he said.
