It is key to CIPFA’s goals that its regions support members from all areas of the public sector. Here is a sample of the many things which have been going on across the whole of the UK in Autumn 2015.
CIPFA South East region held its Autumn Conference ‘Keeping the Faith’ near Wellingborough on 21-22 October. This well attended conference included sessions very relevant to health and social care on the Better Care Fund and Devolution, with the remainder being cross public sector sessions on becoming more commercial, public sector procurement rules and skills development. You can find out about future events and download the conference slides here.
CIPFA South West’s Autumn Conference, ‘Optimising Local Services in a Demanding National Political Arena’, explored social care integration and joint working from a health perspective. Graham Allen, Integrated Services Director for Hampshire CC, spoke on the challenges facing his organisation and innovative ways of working with local CCGs. His presentation showed perfectly the challenges that will not only face Hampshire but the whole of the UK. David Northey, Head of Corporate Strategy Plymouth City Council, rounded off the morning on the success of integration with NEW Devon CCG. Delegates were encouraged to hear that the SW region is an innovator in this field, with a joint team due to visit Manchester and help them through a similar process. A lunch time round-table, chaired by Rob Whiteman, built on earlier discussions; the outcome being local NHS and Local Authority Finance officers agreeing to continue to share knowledge and experience for the benefit of all in the SW Region.
In CIPFA’s North East Branch, the Autumn Conference on 20 November attracted over 100 delegates from across the region. Presenters included Michael Brodie, Finance and Commercial Director, Public Health England and John Matheson, CIPFA President and Director of Finance for the Scottish Government Health Directorate. John’s session looked at examples of innovation and lessons learned from the Scottish experience of Health & Social Care Integration. You can access a write up of the event and the conference slides here.
A further 100 delegates signed up to the CIPFA North West Regional Conference on 13 November in Liverpool. With sessions covering the CSR and Devolution What Happens Next?, delegates considered the implications for health and social care in an area close to the cutting edge of thinking on devolution.
CIPFA has also supported a number of other events in Health and Social care over the Autumn season. The North West FSD Network’s annual Contact Conference celebrated its 25th anniversary and it’s fair to say it was huge in attendance, quality of speakers and social media coverage generated. The speakers included Paul Baumann (Director of Finance, NHS England) and independent gadfly Roy Lilley. Likewise, FSD North East’s conference which took place on 24 November provided an opportunity for 100 delegates to find out more about Future Focussed Finance and to learn how health, social care and housing can work in partnership to deliver the Better Care Fund plans. We are looking forward to supporting the Eastern FSD event in Newmarket on 25 February.
TIAN (the Internal Audit Network) Audit and Governance conference was an addition to CIPFA’s support programme. Held in Leeds, this excellent conference brought together in-house internal audit professionals from across the country to learn about current issues in health and developments in legislation from a range of national and local speakers. Pat Crowley, Chief Executive of York Hospital NHS FT gave an overview of successful service integration in North Yorkshire, and emphasised the unique position of internal audit in being able to share best practice.