NHSScotland brings finance management into single system

Advanced Business Solutions won the contract for a financial shared services with NHSScotland, and has now claimed phase one has been a success, both on time and to budget.

Phase one, which went live on 1 April 2012, roped in NHS Tayside, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Highland, NHS Fife, NHS Borders, NHS Western Isles, and Scottish Ambulance Service. All of these groups are now running on one of ABS’ multi-company finance management system, also integrating document management and SAP’s BusinessObjects business intelligence.

All seven in the first phase now use a common chart of accounts, operating on an agreed national standard in business processes so they can match the Scottish government’s efficiency agenda. NHSScotland hopes that the full roll-out will bring about automated and streamlined processes, as well as reduced costs as it will only have to pay for the maintenance and support of one finance system, rather than many.

The next step is bringing in another seven health boards, planning to go live with the system in October. The final eight should be introduced to the system by 1 April 2012, bringing the total tally of all 22 Scottish NHS bodies under one finance system.

John Francis, programme director for the Shared Support Services Programme – which is heading up the initiative – said in a statement that everyone working within the same framework should provide the foundation for significant cost and efficiency savings. “Having a single system will also facilitate better integration with other systems and greatly enhance business information,” he said.