About this role
Job summary
To support the delivery of a high-quality costing service, recognising the increasing strategic importance of accurate patient-level costing data in delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, productivity and efficiency improvements, and the move towards more activity and outcome-focused funding arrangements.
The post holder will support the maintenance and development of PLICS, ensuring costing data is robust, accurate and capable of supporting Deconstructing the Block, productivity and efficiency analysis, benchmarking, service redesign, financial modelling and decision-making. The role will help clinical divisions and corporate directorates understand the relationship between activity, resource utilisation and cost, enabling the identification of unwarranted variation and opportunities to improve value.
The post holder will also provide timely advice on costing methodology, support improvements in costing and activity data quality, liaise with system suppliers and peer NHS trusts, and assist the Cost and SLR Accountant in developing meaningful costing intelligence for operational and strategic decision-making.
All interviews will be held face to face (we are unable to accommodate virtual interviews)
A short excel assessment will take place prior to the interview. Assessment details - excel test on patient level activity and costs
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support the effective collection, processing, validation and maintenance of costing data, including PLICS, national costing submissions, Service Line Reporting and the Trust Costing Manual. They will help ensure compliance with national costing guidance, support benchmarking and service reviews, develop appropriate costing and apportionment methodologies, and respond to costing queries from clinical divisions and corporate departments. Recognising the increasing importance of robust costing and activity data in supporting Deconstructing the Block, productivity and efficiency, the post holder will provide meaningful costing insight, including unit costs, cost drivers and analysis of variation, to help services understand resource utilisation, identify opportunities for improvement and support evidence-based decision-making across the Trust.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will support the effective collection, processing and maintenance of costing data, including the PLICS system, national costing submissions, Service Line Reporting and the Trust costing manual. They will help ensure compliance with national costing guidance, support benchmarking and service reviews, develop costing and apportionment approaches, respond to queries from divisions and corporate departments, and provide costing insight, including unit costs and cost driver analysis, to support decision-making across the Trust.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including English & Maths
- Relevant academic background: CCAB or CIMA part-qualified at certificate level, or AAT qualified.
Desirable
- Degree or postgraduate level management qualification.
- Progression towards or willingness to study CCAB or CIMA qualification.
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience in a financial management or costing role.
- Able to perform complex numerical data and producing accurate, meaningful analysis.
- Ability to communicate financial or costing information to divisional teams and managers from a non-finance background
Desirable
- Experience of working in an NHS Finance department.
- Previous experience of using an activity-based costing system.
- Experience of staff management
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the NHS finance regime particularly those relevant to financial management and costing.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the Costmaster costing system
- Knowledge of NHS Costing procedures
Skills
Essential
- Able to work with data and produce figures in a clear, accurate and meaningful manner
- Able to concentrate over long periods while dealing effectively with interruptions
- Able to analyse data and trends to draw conclusions and support decision making
- Ability to manage own time and administration in an effective manner.
- Must be able to work as part of a team
- Demonstrates continuous self and professional development
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to identify anomalies in data.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Must be able to work without direct supervision
Desirable
- Knowledge and use of Microsoft Power BI
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Hollins Park
Hollins Park, Winwick
Warrington
WA2 8WA
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)