Background Information
My name is Laura Barron and I am a Senior Finance Business Partner working within the NHS. I am ACCA qualified, having completed both my AAT and ACCA qualifications through self-study alongside full-time employment.
I have always enjoyed maths and knew from an early stage that I wanted to pursue a professional qualification and a career in finance. While many people think accountancy is all about numbers, I quickly learned that communication, influencing skills and relationship building are equally important.
Career Path
My finance career began as an apprentice working in the finance department of a College. During my apprenticeship I completed AAT Levels 2 and 3 and was subsequently offered a permanent role. Keen to continue developing, I self-studied AAT Level 4 before progressing on to ACCA, which I also completed independently.
The NHS attracted me because of the opportunities for career progression and development. I was fortunate to secure a fixed-term Band 3 finance role and, over the past seven years, I have progressed through every band level to my current Band 8C Senior Finance Business Partner position, experiencing a mix of Financial Accounts, and my current Financial Management role.
My career path was not planned in detail, but I always knew that becoming professionally qualified was a key ambition. The NHS has exceeded my expectations in terms of the opportunities available. The variety of roles, supportive colleagues and development opportunities have enabled me to build both technical and leadership skills at a relatively fast pace.
One of the biggest highlights of my career was achieving my ACCA qualification entirely through self-study. My final ACCA exam took place just three days after my wedding, which required a great deal of commitment, prioritisation and determination. Looking back, it remains one of my proudest achievements. Another career highlight has been the progression I have achieved within a relatively short period of time and reaching my current senior leadership role.
My Current Role
As a Senior Finance Business Partner, no two days are ever the same. A significant amount of my time is spent in meetings with operational and clinical colleagues, discussing financial planning, strategic priorities, financial recovery plans and service developments.
My responsibilities include:
- Financial planning and forecasting
- Budget setting and budget monitoring
- Financial recovery and efficiency programmes
- Supporting transformation initiatives
- Providing financial analysis and insight
- Strategic decision-making and business planning
- Managing the Divisional Finance team and supporting operational teams to achieve their objectives
The aspect I enjoy most is working collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to achieve financial outcomes while also supporting improvements in patient care. I enjoy solving complex problems and helping teams understand how financial decisions can contribute to better services for patients.
The most challenging aspects of my role includes balancing financial targets with increasing service demand, managing budget deficits and navigating the wider political and economic factors that influence healthcare funding.
Skills and Development
Some of the skills that have come naturally to me throughout my career include:
- Strong numerical aptitude
- Effective communication
- Strong ethical values
- Compassion and empathy
- Analytical thinking
- Problem solving
However, many of the skills required in senior leadership roles have had to be developed over time. In particular, I have strengthened my influencing and negotiation skills, built greater resilience and learned how to step away from the detail to focus on the bigger strategic picture.
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that leadership is not about having every answer immediately. As many professionals do, I have experienced imposter syndrome. The best advice I received was to consider how I would react if someone else did not know the answer to a question straight away but committed to finding out and coming back with a response. I realised that this would not affect my confidence in them, and therefore I should not expect perfection from myself. It is perfectly acceptable to take time, seek advice and return with the right answer.
Another piece of advice I would offer is to put yourself forward for opportunities, even when they feel daunting. Nobody starts a role knowing everything. Growth often comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking on challenges that initially feel overwhelming.
Work-Life Balance
Like many people in senior leadership positions, balancing work and home life can be challenging at times. I have learned that it is important to prioritise effectively and recognise when to say no to meetings or activities where I am unlikely to add value.
I am also interested in finding ways to improve processes and utilise automation to create additional capacity. Investing time in improving efficiency ultimately benefits both individuals and organisations, and this is an area I continue to work on.
Outside of work, I enjoy:
- Running (a hobby that would have surprised me if you had asked a year ago!)
- Travelling and holidays (as many as I can squeeze in)
- Baking
- Gardening
These activities help me switch off, maintain perspective and recharge.
On Reflection
My biggest work-related achievement is undoubtedly achieving my ACCA qualification entirely through self-study while continuing to work full-time. Combined with progressing from a Band 3 role to a Band 8C senior management position within seven years, this demonstrates the importance of commitment, perseverance and continuous learning.
Looking ahead, my aspiration is to continue providing an excellent finance service within the Organisation while supporting transformation programmes and service improvements that make a meaningful difference to staff and patients. I am passionate about helping deliver sustainable improvements that improve both financial performance and patient outcomes.
For anyone considering a career in NHS finance, I would strongly recommend it. My piece of advice would be: Take every opportunity to learn and develop. NHS finance is an incredibly rewarding profession with excellent opportunities for career progression, personal development and leadership. The NHS offers a supportive and nurturing environment, a strong team culture and the opportunity to make a genuine difference to patient care. For anyone considering a career in NHS finance, I would strongly recommend it. It has been a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling journey, and one that continues to provide exciting opportunities for growth and development.