Job summary
Job Title -Income & Costing Accountant
Hours per week-37.50
Perm/Fixed Term-Permanent
Salary-£43,742 - £50,056 per annum
Closing date-27th April 2024
Interview date-30th April 2024
The post holder will have responsibility for supporting the production of Service Line Reporting (SLR) and the National Cost Collection using the Patient Level Costing System (PLICS). The post holder will also assist in completing the monthly accounting processes for Patient Care Income.
The post holder will support the on-going improvement of any work-streams relating to the above.
The post holder will ensure data is processed in accordance with procedures for the accurate production of information to strict deadlines and to investigate enquiries and queries from stakeholders, providing assistance and advice as required.
Support the wider function of the Team as required.
The post-holder is required to deputise for the Senior Financial Information Manager and the wider team as required, across the range of professional responsibilities, including attendance at meetings.
Main duties of the job
- To manage the regular production of activity information and to provide expert advice, support and resolutions for any related queries.
- Provide financial analysis and data to managers in an appropriate format which would include designing and implementing reconciliatory spreadsheets and using financial calculations.
- Ad hoc reconciliation of various financial details using non ledger systems at budget or line managers' request.
- Ensure SLAM is updated and reported on in line with national timelines.
- Support the divisions in understanding the interdependencies of activity, cost, and income for in year monitoring and for the business planning process.
- Maintain a full contract and income register for the trust.
- Process items to invoice the Commissioners through SLAM which the Trust is due in Income on monthly basis.
- Produce and distribute varying monthly reports in a timely and efficient manner and maintain the report distribution list to ensure information is accurate and up to date.
- To assist in the production of the National Cost Collection and other cost comparator information in accordance with nationally and locally determined timescales.
- To produce information in support of internal or external benchmarking exercises.
About us
Here at George Eliot our vision to 'excel at patient care' takes centre stage. An ever evolving clinically-led acute service provider we are on a journey to continually provide high quality, safe and responsive services delivered by inspiring, friendly and compassionate staff who share our corporate values which underpin everything we do. Our values are not just words on a piece of paper, they bond us together, reflect our ambition and shape who we are:
Effective Open Communication
excellence and safety in everything we do
Challenge but support
Expect respect and dignity
Local health that inspires confidence
Benefits:On-site nursery, 27 days minimum annual leave plus bank holidays, cycle to work scheme, flexible working, extensive in-house course learning directory, buying and selling of annual leave, subsidised restaurant, tranquillity garden and generous subsidised on-site parking.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Analytical and Judgmental skills
- Routinely undertakes complex analysis of data, making judgements using complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparisons of a range of options.
- Strong analytical skills and inquisitive nature, due to the postholder being required to make judgements on financial decisions and financial risk where there is no precedent and where other leading opinions may conflict.
- Strong process and continuous improvement skills.
- Ability to make judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options.
Planning and Organisational skills
- Possess excellent organisational skills, with the ability to plan and organise workload to ensure that all deadlines are met, including the management and prioritisation of conflicting demands.
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Able to work independently or as part of a team.
- Ability to deliver quality routine and ad-hoc work to tight deadlines and to manage conflicting priorities.
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Experience in the development and maintenance of Finance Systems.
Physical and Mental Skills
- High level of IT skills required, including keyboard skills, along with the need for speed and accuracy, understanding and using complex spreadsheets and SQL queries and databases.
- High level of concentration is required in the analysis and modelling of complex data and queries.
Responsibilities of the Post Holder
- To ensure the completeness and accuracy of the activity data.
- To analyse complex data to ensure its robustness, exercising judgement in the way that the data is delivered to maximise its use and understanding.
- To contribute to benchmarking models which compare George Eliot Hospitals performance internally, with the best in the UK or worldwide where appropriate and provide sufficient analysis and insight to support performance improvement.
- To contribute to the development of service line and divisional PLICS reports incorporating both costing and activity and income information.
- To exercise judgement involving complex data which requires analysis and interpretation. In doing so this will include the exploration of new areas where there may be no or few precedents to rely upon, or forming and conveying an opinion where leading opinions may conflict.
- To recognise patterns and inter-relationships in disparate sources of data, in order to model, interpret and appropriately advise recipients. The data itself being obtained from a variety of sources, such as financial, clinical, informatics or other systems throughout GEH.
- To adopt a pro-active approach to finding and filtering the multitude of available data sources to develop the information the Finance Team hold and utilise and in doing so, achieve best in class standards.
- Support the development of the appropriate Finance Systems, including the delivery of quality standards.
- To regularly provide training support relating to appropriate Finance Systems and interfaces, to non-Finance staff.
- To provide support and cover to the wider Income, Costing and Planning Team to ensure resilient processes are in place.
- Ensure full compliance with all financial, information governance and corporate governance procedures issued by George Eliot Hospital.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are fundamental in contributing to an inclusive workplace at George Eliot Hospital.
- The Trust does not tolerate any forms of discrimination, racism, bullying and harassment.
- All staff, at all times, in the performance of their duties are expected to demonstrate equal treatment of everyone and ensure that every member of staff regardless of differences are respected, valued and appreciated.
- All staff are expected to have an understanding of the Trusts Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Legislation.
- To line manage staff in line with the agreed departmental structure.
Freedom to Act
- The post holder is expected to determine how best to achieve defined results and outcomes working with Finance and Trust colleagues, along with external specialists, and within Trust legal and professional guidelines. Whilst the overall management of the role falls to the Senior Financial Information Manager and Head of Financial Planning and Costing, the post-holder will have responsibility to use professional judgement in advising and agreeing certain course of action. This includes significant contact with the Financial Management Team, Financial Services Team, other Senior Finance Managers, and Operational and Clinical Managers within the Trust, including at times Executives and / or their Deputies and the Integrated Care System.
- The post holder will operate with regard to Trust policies, procedures, practices, and systems. These include Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs), Statutory, Professional, NHS and NHSE rules and regulations.
- You are responsible for limiting your actions to those which you feel competent to undertake. If you have any doubts about your competence during the course of your duties you should immediately speak to your line manager/supervisor.
- All employees of the Trust who are required to register with a professional body, to enable them to practice within their profession, are required to comply with their code of conduct and requirements of their professional registration.
- Where the appropriate professional organisation details a requirement in relation to supervision, it is the responsibility of the post holder to ensure compliance with this requirement. If you are in any doubt about the existence of such a requirement speak to your Manager.
Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort Required
- There is a frequent requirement for intense concentration, which may last for a considerable period of the working day (prolonged), when inputting, reconciling, and analysing data from several sources.
- Also, unpredictability for some aspects of workload, with a need to often switch tasks/answer queries at the request of a third party.
- Work to fixed internal and external deadlines which on occasion may conflict and cause short term pressure to complete specific tasks.
- Periodic requirement to follow up other areas within and external to the organisation for outstanding data.
- Office and remote locations will be required.
- Occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions when dealing with staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Analytical and Judgmental skills
- Routinely undertakes complex analysis of data, making judgements using complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparisons of a range of options.
- Strong analytical skills and inquisitive nature, due to the postholder being required to make judgements on financial decisions and financial risk where there is no precedent and where other leading opinions may conflict.
- Strong process and continuous improvement skills.
- Ability to make judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options.
Planning and Organisational skills
- Possess excellent organisational skills, with the ability to plan and organise workload to ensure that all deadlines are met, including the management and prioritisation of conflicting demands.
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Able to work independently or as part of a team.
- Ability to deliver quality routine and ad-hoc work to tight deadlines and to manage conflicting priorities.
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Experience in the development and maintenance of Finance Systems.
Physical and Mental Skills
- High level of IT skills required, including keyboard skills, along with the need for speed and accuracy, understanding and using complex spreadsheets and SQL queries and databases.
- High level of concentration is required in the analysis and modelling of complex data and queries.
Responsibilities of the Post Holder
- To ensure the completeness and accuracy of the activity data.
- To analyse complex data to ensure its robustness, exercising judgement in the way that the data is delivered to maximise its use and understanding.
- To contribute to benchmarking models which compare George Eliot Hospitals performance internally, with the best in the UK or worldwide where appropriate and provide sufficient analysis and insight to support performance improvement.
- To contribute to the development of service line and divisional PLICS reports incorporating both costing and activity and income information.
- To exercise judgement involving complex data which requires analysis and interpretation. In doing so this will include the exploration of new areas where there may be no or few precedents to rely upon, or forming and conveying an opinion where leading opinions may conflict.
- To recognise patterns and inter-relationships in disparate sources of data, in order to model, interpret and appropriately advise recipients. The data itself being obtained from a variety of sources, such as financial, clinical, informatics or other systems throughout GEH.
- To adopt a pro-active approach to finding and filtering the multitude of available data sources to develop the information the Finance Team hold and utilise and in doing so, achieve best in class standards.
- Support the development of the appropriate Finance Systems, including the delivery of quality standards.
- To regularly provide training support relating to appropriate Finance Systems and interfaces, to non-Finance staff.
- To provide support and cover to the wider Income, Costing and Planning Team to ensure resilient processes are in place.
- Ensure full compliance with all financial, information governance and corporate governance procedures issued by George Eliot Hospital.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are fundamental in contributing to an inclusive workplace at George Eliot Hospital.
- The Trust does not tolerate any forms of discrimination, racism, bullying and harassment.
- All staff, at all times, in the performance of their duties are expected to demonstrate equal treatment of everyone and ensure that every member of staff regardless of differences are respected, valued and appreciated.
- All staff are expected to have an understanding of the Trusts Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Legislation.
- To line manage staff in line with the agreed departmental structure.
Freedom to Act
- The post holder is expected to determine how best to achieve defined results and outcomes working with Finance and Trust colleagues, along with external specialists, and within Trust legal and professional guidelines. Whilst the overall management of the role falls to the Senior Financial Information Manager and Head of Financial Planning and Costing, the post-holder will have responsibility to use professional judgement in advising and agreeing certain course of action. This includes significant contact with the Financial Management Team, Financial Services Team, other Senior Finance Managers, and Operational and Clinical Managers within the Trust, including at times Executives and / or their Deputies and the Integrated Care System.
- The post holder will operate with regard to Trust policies, procedures, practices, and systems. These include Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs), Statutory, Professional, NHS and NHSE rules and regulations.
- You are responsible for limiting your actions to those which you feel competent to undertake. If you have any doubts about your competence during the course of your duties you should immediately speak to your line manager/supervisor.
- All employees of the Trust who are required to register with a professional body, to enable them to practice within their profession, are required to comply with their code of conduct and requirements of their professional registration.
- Where the appropriate professional organisation details a requirement in relation to supervision, it is the responsibility of the post holder to ensure compliance with this requirement. If you are in any doubt about the existence of such a requirement speak to your Manager.
Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort Required
- There is a frequent requirement for intense concentration, which may last for a considerable period of the working day (prolonged), when inputting, reconciling, and analysing data from several sources.
- Also, unpredictability for some aspects of workload, with a need to often switch tasks/answer queries at the request of a third party.
- Work to fixed internal and external deadlines which on occasion may conflict and cause short term pressure to complete specific tasks.
- Periodic requirement to follow up other areas within and external to the organisation for outstanding data.
- Office and remote locations will be required.
- Occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions when dealing with staff.
Person Specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of current issues in the NHS and the changing nature of Healthcare provision.
- Understanding of the corporate and statutory duties of NHS trusts. Comprehensive understanding of NHS Finance policies and procedures
- High level knowledge of IT packages, including Word, Excel and computerised Finance Systems including financial ledger, activity and costing systems
- Good knowledge and understanding of databases and reporting packages (e.g. SQL, Power BI, Access)
- Relevant experience of working in the NHS (or similar environment), acquiring specialist knowledge relating to a financial, informatics or systems environment.
- Experience in the financial business cycle
- Able to demonstrate experience of working in a customer focused manner (internal & external)
Desirable
- Experienced in the advanced use of databases and report writing software.
- Advanced user of Excel
- Able to demonstrate using report writing software for development of and review of services.
- Understanding of the management, leadership, and professional development of staff.
Qualification(s) and Professional Training
Essential
- Fully or part- qualified Accountant or finalist- CCAB or equivalent (NVQ Level 6) with substantial experience of working in a finance environment.
- Proven track record of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Master level qualification of equivalent experience
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options.
- Ability to follow a process where it is required or mandated.
- Makes judgements on financial decisions and financial risk where there is no precedent and where other leading opinions may conflict.
- Possess excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise conflicting demands
- High concentration levels when working with complex data
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Experience in the development and maintenance of Finance Systems
- Ability to build productive working relationships with a wide range of colleagues at all levels within and outside the Trust
- Possess good verbal & written communication skills and the ability to convey complex information to non-Finance managers
- Be able to demonstrate a commitment to quality and customer focused service
- Demonstrate tact, diplomacy, confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.
Other
Essential
- Ability to work the hours required, to ensure satisfactory performance of duties.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's values.
- Commitment to CPD & development
Person Specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of current issues in the NHS and the changing nature of Healthcare provision.
- Understanding of the corporate and statutory duties of NHS trusts. Comprehensive understanding of NHS Finance policies and procedures
- High level knowledge of IT packages, including Word, Excel and computerised Finance Systems including financial ledger, activity and costing systems
- Good knowledge and understanding of databases and reporting packages (e.g. SQL, Power BI, Access)
- Relevant experience of working in the NHS (or similar environment), acquiring specialist knowledge relating to a financial, informatics or systems environment.
- Experience in the financial business cycle
- Able to demonstrate experience of working in a customer focused manner (internal & external)
Desirable
- Experienced in the advanced use of databases and report writing software.
- Advanced user of Excel
- Able to demonstrate using report writing software for development of and review of services.
- Understanding of the management, leadership, and professional development of staff.
Qualification(s) and Professional Training
Essential
- Fully or part- qualified Accountant or finalist- CCAB or equivalent (NVQ Level 6) with substantial experience of working in a finance environment.
- Proven track record of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Master level qualification of equivalent experience
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options.
- Ability to follow a process where it is required or mandated.
- Makes judgements on financial decisions and financial risk where there is no precedent and where other leading opinions may conflict.
- Possess excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise conflicting demands
- High concentration levels when working with complex data
- Ability to plan and organise key data intensive work (e.g. Activity & Financial Planning).
- Experience in the development and maintenance of Finance Systems
- Ability to build productive working relationships with a wide range of colleagues at all levels within and outside the Trust
- Possess good verbal & written communication skills and the ability to convey complex information to non-Finance managers
- Be able to demonstrate a commitment to quality and customer focused service
- Demonstrate tact, diplomacy, confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.
Other
Essential
- Ability to work the hours required, to ensure satisfactory performance of duties.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's values.
- Commitment to CPD & development
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
