One NHS Finance

What One NHS Finance does

One NHS Finance is a publicly funded national body operating under NHS England that coordinates finance workforce development across the English NHS. Founded in 2019, it consolidates three legacy national programmes—Future-Focused Finance, the National Finance Academy, and the Finance Innovation Forum—under a single governance structure overseen by the Finance Leadership Council. The organisation serves approximately 16,000 NHS finance staff across trusts, foundation trusts, integrated care systems, and commissioning bodies, delivering the full continuum of career-stage interventions from entry-level to executive.

Its core offering spans ten structured development programmes (Accelerate! Deputies Development, Breaking Diversity Barriers, Career Progressors, Empowering Women in Leadership, First-time in-post CFO, Going Beyond, Mentorship, National Finance Leaders Talent Pool, NHS Finance Insights Placement Scheme, and Sponsorship), the Towards Excellence Accreditation, and nine specialised professional networks (Value Maker Network, Virtual Finance Network, CFO Buddy, Women in Leadership, I&D Ambassadors, FACE, Software Skills Network, Health and Wellbeing Champions, and Innovation Peer Reviewers). The technical stack is light by design: a WordPress-based website, Microsoft Teams for the Virtual Finance Network, YouTube for video content, and a single AI-powered feature, the ISFE2 AI Trainer, which provides conversational Q&A over ISFE2 training content. Content assets include the Innovation Library (245+ NHS finance innovations), the National Finance Competency Framework, the EVO framework, and the 'Surviving and Thriving' resource suite.

The business model is overwhelmingly grant-funded by NHS England, with most programmes delivered free of charge to NHS finance staff. The principal commercial revenue signal is a £500 per-person fee for the Empowering Women in Leadership programme, partially subsidised by regional academies in London, East of England, South West, and Midlands. Delivery is executed through seven Regional Finance Academies (East of England, London, Midlands, North West Skills Development, North East & Yorkshire, South East, South West) and strategic partners including HFMA (which provides free membership for bands 2-6 NHS finance staff through the partnership), the NHS Leadership Academy, and Skills Development Networks. Headcount is approximately 15 employees based in Bristol, with the bulk of programme delivery subsidised by partner organisations and the NHS finance community itself.

Name

One NHS Finance

Legal name

One NHS Finance

Website

https://onenhsfinance.nhs.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

One NHS Finance is a publicly funded national body under NHS England coordinating finance workforce development across England's NHS. It consolidates Future-Focused Finance, National Finance Academy, and Finance Innovation Forum, delivering training programmes, accreditation, and professional networks to approximately 16,000 NHS finance staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

National (England)

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: One NHS Finance is a publicly funded NHS initiative supported by NHS England. The majority of programmes and resources are provided free of charge to NHS finance staff. The organization receives governmental funding to support the NHS Finance Development Strategy and related talent management initiatives.
2. Programme Fees: The Empowering Women in Leadership programme charges £500 per person to attend, with some regional funding available for London, East of England, South West, and Midlands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

One NHS Finance is the national coordinating body for the professional development of NHS finance staff in England, delivering leadership and career development programmes, accreditation, professional networks, and shared resources. The organisation consolidates Future-Focused Finance, the National Finance Academy, and the Finance Innovation Forum under one umbrella and delivers its services through seven Regional Finance Academies. Most programmes (e.g., Accelerate!, Going Beyond, Mentorship, Sponsorship, Career Progressors, First-time in-post CFO) are free to NHS finance staff; selected programmes such as Empowering Women in Leadership charge a fee of £500 per person.

Product overview

One NHS Finance is a unified platform bringing together three national programmes: Future-Focused Finance, the Finance Innovation Forum, and the National Finance Academy. The platform operates as a programme coordinator and resource hub rather than a single software product. It delivers development programmes (Accelerate!, Breaking Diversity Barriers, Career Progressors, Empowering Women in Leadership, First-time CFO, Going Beyond, Mentorship, National Finance Leaders Talent Pool, Insights Placement Scheme, and Sponsorship), manages professional networks (Value Makers, Health & Wellbeing Champions, I&D Ambassadors, FACE, Virtual Finance Network, Software Skills Network, CFO Buddy, and Women in Leadership), provides the Towards Excellence Accreditation process, and offers resources including an interactive map, NHS Finance Careers website, ISFE2 AI Trainer, NHS Staff Survey tools, EVO framework, Innovation Library, and the National Finance Competency Framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Future-Focused Finance: Giving everyone in NHS Finance a voice and an opportunity to collaborate to improve clinical engagement and outcomes.
• National Finance Academy
• Finance Innovation Forum

Products and services

• Future-Focused Finance A national programme that gives everyone in NHS Finance a voice and an opportunity to collaborate to improve clinical engagement and outcomes.
• Finance Innovation Forum A national programme providing a place for finance professionals to discuss ideas, solve problems, share innovations, and respond to challenges facing NHS finance.
• National Finance Academy A national programme ensuring NHS staff receive inclusive, comprehensive, and structured training and development while delivering on ED&I targets.
• Towards Excellence Accreditation A three-level accreditation process recognising organisations with the best finance skills development culture and practices, demonstrating commitment to continual improvement.
• Accelerate! Deputies Development Programme A free programme for deputy finance directors who aspire to progress to senior finance positions, focusing on leadership abilities and application techniques.
• Breaking Diversity Barriers Programme A free programme empowering band 7-8b finance professionals from protected groups under-represented at director level to overcome obstacles and achieve their potential.
• Career Progressors Programme A free programme supporting band 7-8b NHS finance colleagues to take the first steps in leadership development, focusing on non-technical skills.
• Empowering Women in Leadership Programme A programme supporting NHS female finance professionals band 8a and above who wish to progress into more senior roles, with FD/CFO sponsor/mentor pairing. Costs £500 per person with regional funding available for some regions.
• First-time in-post CFO Programme A free development programme and network for new-to-post Chief Finance Officers within 12 months of their first board-level appointment.
• Going Beyond Programme A free programme for senior NHS finance professionals band 8c and above developing confidence and capabilities required for future board-level promotions.
• Mentorship Programme A free collaborative relationship programme matching individuals with experienced colleagues for knowledge, skill development, personal growth, and career advancement, run in partnership with HFMA.
• National Finance Leaders Talent Pool A free development programme supporting Deputy Finance Directors ready to advance to board-level CFO or Finance Director positions through competitive selection and a two-year bespoke programme.
• NHS Finance Insights Placement Scheme A 12-month paid work experience placement scheme in entry-level (band 2) finance roles for individuals aged 18+ from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
• Sponsorship Programme A free programme providing career support to high-potential finance staff from under-represented groups (female, ethnic minorities, disabilities, LGBTQIA+) through senior sponsor relationships.
• Value Maker Network A network of thousands of individuals representing all levels of NHS finance who champion One NHS Finance within their teams, organisations, and health communities.
• Health and Wellbeing Champions A network working to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of finance staff, raising awareness of issues and signposting support.
• Inclusion and Diversity Ambassadors Ambassadors developing equality, diversity, and inclusion plans and implementing positive action initiatives to ensure NHS finance is fairer for everyone.
• Finance and Clinical Educators (FACE) A network championing clinical engagement and delivering financial training to improve patient outcomes, with certification for training delivered.
• Virtual Finance Network A Microsoft Teams-based forum improving communications and engagement between NHS finance professionals through chat, virtual meetings, and best practice sharing.
• Software Skills Network An online network empowering finance professionals with essential tools including SQL, Power BI, Power Automate, and Excel through MS Teams channels and resources.
• CFO Buddy Network An informal system pairing experienced CFOs with newly appointed CFOs to provide peer-to-peer guidance and support during their first 12 months.
• Women in Leadership for NHS Finance An inclusive national network working to improve gender balance in senior finance roles, chaired by Zoe Pietrzak and delivered in collaboration with i&e Professionals.
• Interactive Map An interactive map showing ONF network members by region and NHS finance innovations submitted by each organisation.
• NHS Finance Careers Website A website showcasing different entry routes into NHS finance and what a career in NHS finance can offer.
• ISFE2 AI Trainer An AI-powered tool built on official ISFE2 Training Zone content that helps users find the right steps quickly by answering ISFE2-related questions.
• NHS Staff Survey Comparison Tool A benchmarking tool containing results of 198 finance directorates from the NHS Staff Survey 2025 for comparison purposes.
• EVO Framework A framework designed to help teams improve patient care at system level by supporting evidence-driven value-based decisions at specialty/service level.
• Innovation Library A library of over 245 NHS finance innovations supporting users to address challenges and identify innovative solutions.
• National Finance Competency Framework A framework outlining the skills and behaviours needed at every step in NHS finance careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of pilot Insights Placement participants secured permanent NHS finance roles
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019HFMA is a key strategic partner providing professional body accreditation, qualifications, and complementary services. The Mentorship Programme runs in partnership with HFMA as a complimentary service to all full HFMA members. HFMA also provides free membership for bands 2-6 NHS finance staff through the partnership.
• NHS Leadership AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The NHS Leadership Academy provides support for leadership development and connects National Finance Leaders Talent Pool participants with multidisciplinary aspiring director talent pools regionally.
• NHS England Regional Finance DirectorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS England Regional Finance Directors support and endorse the National Finance Leaders Talent Pool and provide strategic guidance through the Finance Leadership Council (FLC) which provides oversight to national programmes.
• Skills Development Networks (SDNs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Skills Development Networks, including North West Skills Development Network and North East & Yorkshire SDN, deliver national programmes locally and support implementation of the NHS Finance Development Strategy regionally.
• Finance Leadership Council (FLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FLC provides oversight to national programmes and is the main decision-making forum for the NHS Finance Development Strategy, drawing on work done to ensure consistent, high-quality finance development across NHS England.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants): Global professional body offering management accounting qualifications and CPD. Overlaps with One NHS Finance on upskilling finance professionals, but operates commercially across sectors rather than within a single UK public system.
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): Large global accountancy body providing qualifications and learning to finance professionals. Comparable development and accreditation offering for NHS finance talent, but broader multi-sector scope rather than NHS-specific.
• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT): UK professional body for accounting technicians and bookkeeping staff, offering qualifications and CPD. Comparable entry-level and mid-career development function, with overlap to NHS band 2-6 finance staff cohorts.

Direct peers

• Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA): The principal UK professional body for NHS finance staff, providing qualifications, membership, and training that substantially overlap One NHS Finance's development mission. Named strategic partner here, with overlapping member audience across English NHS trusts.
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA): UK professional body focused on public-sector finance (including NHS), delivering qualifications, training, and standards. Comparable model of serving finance professionals in public services with structured accreditation and continuous development.

Others

• NHS Confederation: Membership body for NHS organisations in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland providing policy, leadership, and development support. Provides comparable national-system development infrastructure across the NHS.
• NHS Leadership Academy: NHS body delivering leadership development and coaching across NHS England. A named strategic partner of One NHS Finance, with overlapping remit for senior NHS finance leadership pathways and shared audiences.
• Skills for Health: UK sector skills body for health, focused on workforce development and standards across the health sector including finance functions. Adjacent workforce-development mission serving NHS employers.
• Faculty of Public Health: Professional body for public health specialists in the UK with similar standards, accreditation, and development programmes. Comparable model for skill development within a public-sector healthcare function.
• NHS Employers: NHS workforce organisation supporting employers on HR, inclusion, and staff development across NHS England. Comparable in serving NHS staff development at the national-system level, though focused on HR/workforce rather than finance function.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OneNHSFinance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/OneNHSFinance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/onenhsfinance
• Instagraminstagram.com/onenhsfinance
• TikToktiktok.com/@onenhsfinance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about One NHS Finance