An interview with Sarah Lloyd, Deputy CEO and Director of Finance at ShropCom, and Adam Winstanley, Acting Director of Finance at SaTH on the collaboration and partnership working we’ve seen this year and beyond Sarah Lloyd Adam Winstanely
Driving efficiency without losing sight of care
Joining forces under a Group will help us to continue to remove duplication, streamline decisionmaking, and prioritise resources effectively, so we can free up time and energy to focus on what really matters: improving patient care. For example, accelerating the shift of services from hospital to community means care closer to home, better outcomes, and a more sustainable system We’ll continue to review productivity opportunities so that every penny is used effectively for frontline services
Collaboration that feels different
This year, partnership has felt more real than ever –and we ’ ve been able to build on the great work we already do Teams across both organisations have worked tirelessly to deliver a coordinated Winter plan, including expanding urgent community services Behind the scenes, our corporate teams have ensured the right technology, funding, and estate solutions are in place – so clinical teams can concentrate on delivering safe, high-quality care. We can already see the positives and are actively working towards delivering the benefits
We can already see the positives and are actively working towards delivering the benefits.
We already have amazing teams that work together across the Group and beyond Procurement, Payroll, and our Oracle team are all currently shared services, and this offers real benefits, enabling us to develop specialist expertise, grow our own talent and standardise how we work, creating efficiencies and increasing productivity. As our work as a Group continues, we will explore how our teams can work more closely together to learn from each other, share best practice, and have opportunities to gain a fresh perspective on the work we do
Looking ahead: Finance and beyond
While we remain two separate statutory organisations with distinct finances, our goal is clear: spend money in the most effective way for patients. Over the coming months, teams will have opportunities to connect, learn about each other’s roles, and shape the future of our Group It’s an exciting time to think creatively and contribute to a model that delivers great care and a great place to work
We already have amazing teams that work together across the Group and beyond.
Coming together to provide better patient care and experience
There are lots of ways in which Group will support improved patient care and experience, for example through accelerating the move of services from hospitals to communities, focusing on ‘home first’ in line with the national plan We will improve pathways of care to ensure they are seamless to patients and focus on digital solutions so that there is a reduced need to repeat information in different settings Common clinical standards across the Group will also support us to reduce unwarranted variation in treatment times and outcomes of care
Benefits for our people
This isn’t just about patients - it’s about colleagues too The Group model will open up new opportunities, from joint or rotational roles to enhanced training and education It will help us fill hard-to-recruit posts, build resilience in small teams, and offer broader clinical support Ultimately, it means more chances for development and collaboration Becoming a Group is about working smarter, not harder It’s about creating a system that is efficient, resilient, and focused on what matters most: delivering outstanding care for our communities I’m proud of the progress we ’ ve made and excited about what’s to come