Welcome from Martin Shaw, Chief Financial Officer

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for expressing an interest in joining our organisation.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ is one of the largest hospital and community services trusts in the country, with a staff of almost 15,300 , a turnover of over £1.4 billion and 2.3 million  patient contacts a year. The Trust comprises two of London’s oldest and best known teaching hospitals and operates from a wide range of community estate based in the local community.  The hospitals have a long history, dating back almost 900 years, and have been at the forefront of medical progress and innovation since they were founded.  Both hospitals have built on these traditions and continue to have a reputation for excellence and innovation. The Trust has developed an Estates Master Plan for future development which it is moving forward with the implementation of.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has a strategic ambition to be a system leader and has been accredited by NHS Improvement as one of four NHS Foundation Trusts approved to work in partnership with other organisations to form a Group.  Through the New Care Models Vanguard Programme, we have been working in partnership with Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in Kent to test models for greater clinical and organisational collaboration.

The Trust also plays an active role in the South East London Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.  The STP has an ambitious agenda to share clinical and non-clinical support functions and the Trust’s Chief Finance Officer plays a pivotal role in leading and shaping this work to ensure it will deliver its potential for greater efficiency and cost reduction for the benefit of the local health economy.

We are part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between one of the world’s leading research-led universities and three of London’s NHS Foundation Trusts. Our AHSC is one of only five in the UK. It consists of King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts. 

These are challenging times in the NHS, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ is well-placed to deal with those challenges. I have recently moved to a new role of Chief Financial Officer. As Chief Financial Officer I will be leading the Finance contribution to the development of the Trust’s Estates Strategy and the development of the group, STP and KHP. We have invested in the Finance and Procurement function and are therefore looking for a Board level Director of Finance to help take this agenda forward.

The Trust is not immune to the tightening financial climate and the future for the Trust, in line with most acute Trusts, holds some major challenges. Our success over the last ten-plus years has been in part due to our ability to make the most of the opportunities that have presented themselves in terms of securing new services, winning new investment and positioning the organisation as a focal point for key components of the London care system. Such opportunities to increase revenue are now, given there is rather less available money in the system, much harder to come by and so to sustain financial stability and regular surpluses we will be far more reliant on our ability to operate productively and to ensure we have a sustainable balance of services within our portfolio. 

I would be delighted to welcome you to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and to thank you for showing interest in this exciting post of Director of Finance which is one of the most important roles in our organisation. I am proud to be the Chief Financial Officer of this Trust, which is one of the highest performing providers in the country. As Director of Finance you would be joining us during one of the most exciting times in the Trust’s history, and helping us to deliver even better, safer and more effective care for our patients, as we strive for excellence in our clinical outcomes and patient experience. 

I am looking for a resourceful and confident Finance leader, who can evidence success in driving significant change, directing the delivery of finance systems and reporting of the highest quality and maintain appropriate grip on the delivery of the financial plan as we go forward.

Above all you will demonstrate our values which are to put patients first, take pride in what we do, to respect others and to strive to be the best and to act with integrity. I would be very happy to discuss this fantastic opportunity with you so please feel free to give me a call and to come to see the Trust for yourself. Thank you very much for your interest in the organisation and this role. I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Trust. 

Martin Shaw 
Chief Financial Officer